7 Notable Art Masterpieces With Subtle Flaws (2 of 4)

2. “Dinner at Emmaus” by Caravaggio

The brouhaha that this flawed painting generates lies in the perspective of the table, which appears slightly distorted, causing the legs to slant at odd angles. This deviation from perfect perspective could be attributed to Caravaggio’s focus on the emotional intensity of the scene rather than creating a strictly accurate architectural representation. Another subtle flaw is evident in the positioning of the apostle’s hand holding the bread. The fingers appear somewhat awkward, with the index finger extending unnaturally far. For shame!

3. “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli

Venus is one of those paintings that everybody is familiar with, but what you might not notice at first is the clear imperfection in the positioning of Venus’ left foot, which appears slightly swollen and elongated, disrupting the otherwise harmonious flow of her form. Gasp! Well, there might actually be a reasonable explanation. This deviation from anatomical precision is likely attributed to Botticelli’s emphasis on capturing the movement and fluidity of Venus’ emergence from the sea rather than a case the Italian artist phoning it in.