Inspiration for The Ghost of a Flea came from a different type of vision. John Varley, a fellow artist and close friend of Blake, explained in his Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy that the painting was based on a spiritual vision of a ghost and a flea. As Blake was drawing the spirit, it told him that “all fleas were inhabited by the souls of men who were ‘by nature bloodthirsty to excess.’” The creature, a terrifying mix of human and beast, is intended to convey a human character deformed by animalistic traits. [6]
10 Famous Artworks That Are Not What They Appear
Art is very personal to the artist; they paint their feelings, hopes, and dreams on the canvas, then stand back and hope the viewers get it. Sometimes we do, and sometimes we don’t. Many paintings carry contrary messages, which doesn’t make the process any easier. Without the necessary context, viewers see the image and, naturally, take it at face value.
It can be hard to distinguish these types of paintings from the rest. Even a seemingly “simple” still-life can be ripe with intricate details and hidden meanings. Similarly, some of the most famous artworks in history contain at least one aspect that the majority of viewers have missed. Does it always make a difference? Not necessarily. But it is usually pretty interesting. Keep reading for 10 famous artworks that aren’t quite what they appear.
10 Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889) by Vincent Van Gogh
Why did Van Gogh cut off his ear?
Among history’s most famous paintings is Vincent Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. The artwork is best known for being painted soon after the artist cut off his ear. A popular theory is that it happened after he drank too much of the hallucinogenic substance absinthe, but that isn’t the entire story.
Fellow artist Paul Gauguin came to live and work alongside Van Gogh in his small yellow house in the south of France. Despite a promising start, their relationship grew tumultuous and strained. When Van Gogh suspected Gauguin was planning on leaving, and Gauguin confirmed it, Van Gogh didn’t take the news very well.
According to Gauguin, Van Gogh “charged at him” threateningly with a “razor in hand.” Later that night, Van Gogh used the same blade to remove his ear. Initially, Van Gogh appeared dead, with blood covering the bed and most of his home. Gauguin confirmed he was alive but told authorities to tell Van Gogh he had returned to Paris. Van Gogh painted the self-portrait as an assurance that he was sane, resting, and fully cooperating with his doctors’ orders- such as keeping warm with a coat and hat. [1]
9 Two Tahitian Women (1899) by Paul Gauguin
The Paul Gauguin Controversy Explained.
Speaking of Gauguin, once the Parisian artist left the yellow house, he grew to become an artist who many claim was “more important than Van Gogh.” Two Tahitian Women is one of several Gauguin paintings that feature Indigenous women portrayed as the ideal “Tahitian Eve.” Despite its innocent appearance- the painting holds dark secrets. The women were later revealed to be more than the artist’s models. They were also his sex slaves.
When Gauguin moved to the South Pacific islands of Tahiti and Hiva Oa, he took three native brides—ages 13, 14, and 14. Claiming he was “quitting decadent Paris for a purer life in a fecund South Seas paradise,” he infected his young wives, and countless others, with syphilis in the home he christened La Maison du Jouir (“the House of Orgasm”). Cracks in his character appeared earlier when he left his wife and five children to move in with Van Gogh for those nine arduous months. The punishment for his wrongdoings? A posthumous lack of exposure. [2]
Product Details
Fine Art Prints are giclee printed on smooth, bright white premium archival matte paper that is printed to the edge. When a frame is selected, fine art prints are framed with UV-shielding acrylic.
Canvas Prints are giclee printed on warm white artist canvas that is unstretched and printed to the edge. When a frame is selected, canvas prints are framed without acrylic.
Stretched Canvas is stretched onto stretcher bars with a 1.5″ canvas depth and mirrored edges.
Framed Artwork always includes mounted wire and hanging hardware. Your artwork will arrive ready to display in your space. The back of framed artwork is finished with a matte kraft dustcover.
Regular Acrylic most closely resembles glass. It can be reflective, especially when placed in direct sunlight. We generally recommend Regular Acrylic whenever artwork is matted.
Non-Glare Acrylic offers a less reflective alternative to Regular Acrylic. This minimizes the reflective glare so that you can more clearly see your artwork, even when in direct sunlight. This type of acrylic can have a mattifying effect, especially on colors; that effect is more noticeable when artwork is matted.
Mats are 4-ply, acid-free conservation quality white mats. When matting artwork, we recommend choosing Regular Acrylic. Non-Glare Acrylic combined with a mat may result in a mattified or slightly foggy appearance to your artwork.
Unique Character
Each art print from Museum Quality Art is reproduced from an original artwork. Variable details such as brushstrokes, grain, cracking, initials, and signatures may be visible on your final artwork.
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Colors may vary due to differences in monitor or display settings on your computer or phone.
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Museum Quality Art occasionally uses digital renderings, including digital frames, digital artwork, and digital room mockups to help display our products.
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We do our best to represent the multiple print sizes available on each product page. The final artwork may depict slightly more/less of the image compared to the preview, depending on the size ordered and other selections such as mat and frame.
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All orders are placed into production immediately upon checkout. There is a 5 business day lead time for art prints, and a 10 business day lead time for framed artwork. Once your order ships, a tracking number will be sent to your inbox. Orders with multiple items may receive more than one tracking number.
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