These Eerie Artworks Are Said To Be Haunted And Will Surely Send A Chill Down Your Spine
Some pieces of art have a paranormal reputation that is sure to send chills down your spine. There are portraits with eyes that seem to follow you and cursed sculptures with ghostly backstories. Even though they are just hanging on a wall or standing in place, they still somehow give off unsettling vibes.
These artworks are said to be haunted, so let’s take a closer look—if you dare! They are the perfect way to creep into the Halloween spirit. Beware of running into any ghosts from these mysterious masterpieces during this spooky season!
Portrait of Jean-Gabriel du Theil at the Signing of the Treaty of Vienna
This portrait was painted by the artist Jacques André Joseph Aved between 1739 and 1740. It depicts Jean-Gabriel du Theil, a French politician who served Louis XV of France as the secretary of foreign affairs.
In 1738, du Theil was involved with the Treaty of Vienna, which was when France was given control of the Duchy of Lorraine.
The portrait shows du Thiel signing the treaty. It is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of du Thiel, who is said to have been seen staring at his own image in the gallery before vanishing into it. Currently, the portrait hangs in the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio.
Portrait of Lady Ossington
An unknown artist painted a portrait of Lady Ossington in 1863. Lady Ossington was a member of the Temperance movement and a Victorian entrepreneur who built the Ossington Coffee Palace in 1882 in the town of Newark, England. The coffee palace was meant to be a place where people who wanted to avoid alcohol could go to enjoy themselves. Alcohol was not sold on the premises.
The building was sold and converted into a pub nearly a century later. That was when stories began to emerge of the portrait flying off the wall. Maybe Lady Ossington was not happy about booze being served in her building. A few years later, the portrait was put into storage.
JENOCHE – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
A Boy in a Red-Lined Cloak
Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s A Boy in a Red-Lined Cloak is also part of Cleveland’s collection. The potentially haunted painting dates back to the 1780s. Some people have suggested that the boy featured in the painting is Alexander Evariste Fragonard, the artist’s son. However, this has never been officially confirmed.
The painting is believed to be haunted because it has been known to move sometimes from one exhibit case to another without any solid explanation. As a result, people think it is moving on its own.
Portrait of General Bonaparte
There’s a haunted unfinished painting of Napoleon hanging in the Louvre by Jacques-Louis David. It was created from 1797 to 1798. According to legend, a soldier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars was a huge fan of the emperor and desired to see his portrait.
Sadly, he died at the Battle of Waterloo before he got the chance to see it. Apparently, his ghost lingers around the portrait at the Louvre. Visitors have claimed to spot him giving a military salute or in tears.
Man Proposes, God Disposes
The 1864 piece Man Proposes, God Disposes by Edwin Landseer is on display at Royal Holloway, University of London. It portrays two polar bears eating the remains of a shipwreck from Sir John Franklin’s failed mission to find the Northwest Passage.
It is believed to be unlucky to take an exam in front of the painting. There’s even a legend that a student died after doing so. The story wasn’t true, but the legend has caused so much unease that the staff have covered the painting during exams since the 1970s.
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