The Surprising Discovery Found On the Rear Side of This Painting

A hidden map discovered by accident

The Tower of Babel (c.1600). Artist unknown. Oil on copperplate. The Museum of London. Image source Wikimedia Commons

The painting shows a representation of The Tower of Babel. The story is told in the Book of Genesis: mankind had begun to construct of a huge tower that looms over the surrounding land. But when God saw men working on this tower with its ambitions towards heaven, He grew angry. He confused mankind’s speech and scattered them around the world so they could no longer understand each other. Ever since, the Tower of Babel has been an emblem of the prideful ambitions of mankind and is said to explain why the world has so many different languages.

This painting was made sometime around 1600 and has been attributed to the Flemish artist Marten van Valckenborch — who made many versions of the Tower of Babel story — or more likely to a member of his circle.

It was only in 1962, when an art dealer happened to examine the rear-side of the image, that a surprising discovery was made. On the back of the painting was a hidden map.

Plate from the “Copperplate” map of London, 1550s, showing the Moorfields area (c.1553). The Museum of London. Image source Wikimedia Commons

It turned out that the map, engraved in copper, was a map of a section of London. After some examination, it was…