Many historic paintings seem to capture UFOs, sparking debates among scholars and alien enthusiasts alike. While traditional art historians point to divine symbolism, some argue the strange discs and lights are evidence of extraterrestrial visitors.
Historic Paintings That Spark UFO Theories
10 The Annunciation With Saint Emidus
The Annunciation with Saint Emidus was painted in 1486 by Italian master Carlo Crivelli. It captures the Virgin Mary just before she learns she will bear the savior.
Most art historians see the bright beam descending from a round opening as the holy halo of the Lord. UFO enthusiasts, however, argue that the halo is actually a disc‑shaped craft, suggesting a more terrestrial explanation for the miraculous birth.
These believers claim the beam of light striking Mary inside her home mirrors modern alien‑abduction reports, where witnesses describe a sudden light entering through a roof or window while they are indoors.
9 The Crucifixion Of Christ (Kosovo)
The Crucifixion of Christ hangs above the altar of the Visoki Decani Monastery in Kosovo. The scene shows Jesus on the cross, flanked by two unmistakable airborne crafts in each corner.
Each craft appears to have a pilot, both dressed in what look like space suits. The top‑right pilot glances back at the craft behind him, as if being chased.
Mainstream scholars suggest the crafts symbolize the Sun and the Moon, but the church of the era would have considered such symbolism blasphemous, potentially endangering the artist’s life.
8 The Baptism Of Christ
The Baptism of Christ was created in 1710 by Dutch painter Aert de Gelde, a diligent student of Rembrandt. The canvas portrays a disc‑shaped object emitting several beams of light toward the baptismal scene.
Four distinct columns of light radiate from the craft, a detail that suggests a tangible object rather than a symbolic halo.
The painting now resides in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, United Kingdom, where visitors can still marvel at the enigmatic light show.
7 The Madonna With Saint Giovannino
In The Madonna with Saint Giovannino, a flying craft hovers just above and behind the Madonna’s left shoulder. A man gazes up at the object, while his dog barks, hinting that the craft is not a divine sign.
Rays of light surround the craft, and the Madonna’s halo appears unusually dark and faint, leading some to wonder if the object is affecting her aura.
Art historians debate the creator’s identity—some attribute the work to Domenico Ghirlandaio, others to Jacopo del Sellaio or Sebastiano Mainardi—yet the mysterious craft remains a focal point.
6 Triumph Of Summer Tapestry
The Triumph of Summer tapestry, woven in Bruges, Belgium, in 1538, portrays several saucer‑shaped objects with raised sections—almost like cockpits—floating in the upper left corner.
Since no known religious symbols resemble these forms, the objects likely represent something non‑divine. The tapestry celebrates a ruler’s ascent to power, making the appearance of these strange crafts all the more puzzling.
Today, the piece can be admired at the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Germany.
5 La Tebaide
Painted in the mid‑15th century, La Tebaide (also known as Scene di vita eremitica) is a montage of monastic life. Within the depiction of Jesus on the cross, eagle‑eyed observers spot a tiny red, disc‑shaped object at the bottom of the scene.
Detractors argue the red disc is merely the cardinal’s hat belonging to St. Jerome, who kneels before the crucifix. The trailing ribbons often mistaken for UFO trails are actually the hat’s tassels, a detail that appears in many other paintings of St. Jerome.
The work is displayed at the Academy of Florence, Italy.
4 The Miracle Of The Snow
The Miracle of the Snow by Masolino da Panicale (1428–1432) depicts a legendary snowfall in Rome during a scorching August. Jesus and Mary sit on a cloud, observing the scene below.
Behind their cloud, numerous disc‑shaped “clouds” fill the sky. UFO enthusiasts argue that an artist meticulous in other details would not render such simplistic shapes unless they represented actual crafts.
Supporting this claim, a 1954 UFO sighting over Florence described egg‑shaped objects that halted over a football stadium, shedding a glittering “silver” dust that resembled snowflakes.
3 ‘Israel, Put Your Hope In The Lord’ Painting
This mysterious work shows a gigantic disc‑shaped object hovering above a burning church in the Dominican Monastery of Sighisoara, Romania. The region is famous as the birthplace of Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler or Dracula.
While mainstream historians say the disc is merely a shield, its massive size and the smoke trailing from it suggest something more extraordinary.
The German caption beneath the painting reads: Israel, hoffe auf den Herrn (“Israel, put your hope in the Lord”). Since the Bible was not translated into German until 1523 and a fire destroyed the original monastery in the 17th century, scholars believe the painting dates from after those events.
2 Glorification Of The Eucharist
Ventura Salimbeni’s Glorification of the Eucharist, painted around 1600 for the Church of San Pietro in Montalcino, features a globe‑shaped object hovering between Jesus and the Holy Father.
UFO proponents claim the sphere is a monitoring device, pointing out a tiny telescopic “eye” on its lower left. Its metallic sheen even resembles Sputnik 1, leading some to speculate the artist foresaw space travel or experienced time travel.
Traditional scholars argue the object is a creation globe, with the “antennae” being the wands of Jesus and the Lord. Critics note the lack of stars inside the globe and its artificial appearance, suggesting an extraterrestrial origin.
1 The Crucifixion Of Christ (Georgia)
Similar to the Kosovo fresco, the Georgian Crucifixion of Christ in Svetishoveli Cathedral, Mtskheta, displays a flying object on each side of the cross. Upon close inspection, each craft contains a face, implying a pilot is at the helm.
Ancient astronaut theorists view this as evidence that aliens were present at pivotal moments in Jesus’s life, supporting the notion that Jesus was an alien‑human hybrid created through genetic engineering.
According to this theory, Mary was impregnated by an extraterrestrial being—identified as the Angel Gabriel—who convinced her it was a divine dream. If true, Mary would be among the earliest recorded alien abductees.