Art is full of surprises. Beyond brushstrokes and color theory, some artists like to play a clever game with their viewers—leaving secret messages, symbols, and Easter eggs tucked away in plain sight. From Renaissance masters to contemporary virtuosos, painters have long embraced the joy of hiding things in their work. including two of the artists we have in the gallery.
The Case of the Curious Number 42: Anthony Waichulis
Anthony Waichulis is known for his hyperrealistic paintings that can fool your eyes and tickle your brain. But look closer—there’s always a hidden surprise. In every single one of his pieces, Waichulis hides the number 42. Why 42?
In a delightful nod to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, 42 is famously "the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything." For Waichulis, the number becomes a personal Easter egg—a sly wink to those paying attention and a reminder not to take life (or art) too seriously.
Some people spend hours trying to find the number in his complex compositions. Sometimes it’s hidden in shadows, other times scribbled in a margin or disguised in patterns. It’s like a visual game of hide-and-seek—only the best eyes win. Yesterday he was in the gallery with a group of artists he's teaching and he pointed out the hidden 42 in this piece, can you see it? Hint: it's in the wood.
➕ More Than Meets the Eye: Robert Lange
Then there's Robert Lange, another contemporary painter who blends technical mastery with narrative intrigue. Lange has a habit of sneaking a plus sign (+) into every piece he creates. It might be a fold in a curtain, a crossing pair of twigs, or even a glimmer of light on a windowsill. It’s his way of leaving a mark, an identity signature, almost like a whisper to those in the know.
But he doesn’t stop there. Lange also occasionally includes hidden messages in his works—words etched into layers of paint, barely visible unless the light hits just right. They’re not always easy to find (or can't be seen at all), and that’s the point. Can you find the words in the sand below?
Secrets of the Old Masters
Of course, this tradition isn’t new. Artists have been sneaking symbols and secrets into their paintings for centuries. Here are a few historical favorites:
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Leonardo da Vinci loved embedding symbolism into his work. The Last Supper is riddled with subtle meanings—everything from the placement of hands to the shape of the table forms hidden narratives and theological puzzles. Some theorists even argue that musical notes are hidden in the composition.
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Hieronymus Bosch, the 15th-century surrealist before surrealism existed, filled his panels with bizarre creatures, strange hybrid beings, and weird visual puns. Look long enough, and you might even find musical notation written on someone’s… posterior (seriously, Google “butt music from Bosch”).
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Michelangelo, while painting the Sistine Chapel, apparently got cheeky—literally. He included a figure in The Last Judgment with flayed skin, which many believe to be a self-portrait. Scholars also argue that some of the anatomical features (like a brain in The Creation of Adam) hint at his knowledge of human dissection, subtly layered into divine scenes.
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Even Jan van Eyck, in his famous Arnolfini Portrait, added his own signature in Latin above a mirror at the back of the scene: "Johannes de Eyck fuit hic", or “Jan van Eyck was here.” Graffiti… but make it 15th century.
Why Do Artists Hide Things?
At the heart of it, these hidden gems are about connection. Artists hide symbols to:
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Leave a piece of themselves behind.
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Reward close looking.
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Inject humor or mystery.
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Play with the boundary between artist and viewer.
In a world that often rushes past beauty, these secrets ask us to slow down, look deeper, and discover something more. Whether it’s a number, a plus sign, or a whisper of text, each one is an invitation to engage with art—not just as a passive viewer, but as an active participant in the visual conversation.
So next time you’re standing in front of a painting—look closer. You might just spot a secret the artist left there… just for you.
