For centuries, various artists have drawn some objects in the sky, even when, as a society, we hadn’t invented flying objects yet. Accident? Or did these medieval painters, Renaissance artists, and religious iconographers know something we are not aware of? Fasten your seatbelts, because we are going to explore the most bizarre UFO sightings in art throughout history painted on a canvas!
UFOs in Art Throughout History
The Madonna and the Flying Saucer?
First of all, let’s start with The Madonna with Saint Giovannino, a 15th-century painting by Domenico Ghirlandaio (or one of his disciples). When you look at the sky in the background of the Virgin Mary, you will see a strange disc-shaped object. But that’s not all – there is a man and his dog in the background of the picture and they are looking at it as if they are as puzzled as we are. What did this artist want to convey to us? A celestial occurrence? Some secret alien meeting? Or was it just a case of medieval artists’ having a bad day and deciding to throw in a dodgy photoshopping?
(Madonna with St. Giovannino. There appears to be a mysterious flying object in the background)
Explore more about the artwork and it’s UFO connection here.
The Annunciation… with a Side of Sci-Fi?
Carlo Crivelli’s 1486 painting, The Annunciation with Saint Emidius, has a strange laser-like ray of light shining from what looks like a floating, UFO-like object. Of course, art critics will say it’s the divine light illuminating the Virgin Mary, but come on; if an alien ray looked any different, we’d be surprised.
( The Annunciation with Saint Emidius by Carlo Crivelli)
17th Century? More Like 17th Galaxy!
Let’s bring it forward to 1697 and have a look at The Baptism of Christ by Aert de Gelder. The sky above Jesus and John the Baptist is illuminated by a spherical vehicle which has a glow and rays of light shooting from it.
This is not your typical ‘heavenly glow’ – this thing looks like it is straight out of a science fiction film. Were divine beings actually highly evolved extraterrestrials and if not, why did artists keep painting these oddities over the years?
The 1960s Didn’t Invent UFOs—Medieval Art Did
Renaissance painters had already incorporated UFOs into their religious pieces long before the X-Files, and medieval scribes had been sketching flying machines. The Tapestry of Bayeux (1066) presents what looks like flying spheres in the sky during a battle.
And what can be described as an standard ’80s sci-fi ship is shown hovering over a crowd in a 14th-century fresco in the Monastery Church of Sighișoara. Google it, seriously.
Saint Wolfgang and the Devil… or Something Else?
Another piece of art that is rather similar, yet quite bizarre is Saint Wolfgang and the Devil, which was painted by Michael Pacher in the 15th century. The image shows the saint standing firm before the devil, but behind is a shadow of a strange, dark, disc like object which is quite out of keeping with the time. Just a shadow though, or something more threatening?
Oui, Oui! UFOs in French Medieval Art?
In 1338, Jean Froissart, a French artist, drew The Siege of Sigiburg, which took place in the Middle Ages and during which, according to sources, some objects glowing in the sky appeared and frightened the enemy army so much that they fled. The illustration shows objects flying that look very similar to the modern representations of UFOs. Did extraterrestrial beings give medieval warriors some kind of extraterrestrial backup?
A Danish Surprise: The 1665 UFO Sighting in Art
This isn’t particularly surprising, as Denmark has traditionally been a hotbed of UFO activity, but in 1665, some unknown artist felt the need to paint a certain scene. The artwork is rather puzzling; the model poses in front of a city with a glow that renders it unrecognizable. Is it a comet, a celestial occurrence or yet another of those artists’ not so subtle way of sneaking in an alien visitation in art history? Whatever it is, it looks surprisingly like a modern day UFO sighting.
Check it out here.
UFOs, Art and Your Very Own Abduction
Then, were those artists cosmic whistleblowers or just some painters who had a penchant for painting strange sky blobs? However, it is noteworthy that the history of art is full of such examples, and people have been interested in strange flying objects for centuries. And if you have ever wanted to have your own little Close Encounter, there is no reason to wait for the aliens to pay you a visit.
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Get yours today and create an intergalactic masterpiece on your desk. The aliens are coming… and they have great taste in home décor.
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Beaming us to new heights: The rising digital artists reshaping the world of alien art
Exploring the Extraterrestrial Aesthetic: A Look at 5 Artists Who Dive into Alien Art
Best Alien Spaceship Wallpaper