Not Saying It’s a UFO… But Look at the Sky
Madonna with Child and Saint Giovannino (c. 1485)
by Domenico Ghirlandaio
If you’ve ever been even slightly interested in UFOs — and yes, I still call them UFOs too — then I’m almost certain this painting has crossed your path at some point. It usually pops up online with a big red circle around the sky and a caption screaming something like: “Renaissance UFO spotted!!!”
And honestly… fair enough. Let’s talk about it.
The object in the sky 👀
At first glance, everything feels normal: Mary, baby Jesus, little Saint John, calm faces, gentle colours. Very Renaissance. Very holy. Very peaceful.
Then your eyes drift upward.
There it is.
A small, odd object floating in the sky.
And a man below it… squinting. Shielding his eyes. Looking up.
Now tell me — if you saw that today, wouldn’t you do the same?
What exactly is he looking at? A cloud? A sign from heaven? A badly parked celestial vehicle? We’ll never know, but it’s hard not to wonder. I personally would love to hop into a time machine and ask him one simple question:
“Sir… what did you just see?”
Painting “in the moment”
Ghirlandaio was known for painting scenes as if they were happening right there and then, not in some distant, unreachable heaven. His people feel real. Grounded. Human.
That’s what makes this detail so fun — and so unsettling. The man’s reaction doesn’t feel symbolic. It feels… relatable. Like something genuinely caught his attention.
Was it a UFO?
Probably not but what if yes.
But does it look weird?
Absolutely.
Why did no one care for centuries…
Here’s the part that surprises most people:
This painting wasn’t famous for hundreds of years. No scandal. No mystery. No conspiracy threads. It only became widely talked about in the 20th century, especially after 1947, when UFO culture really took off. Suddenly, people started looking at old art with new eyes — eyes trained by aeroplanes, rockets, and science fiction.
Same painting. Very different mindset.
Not for church crowds
Another important detail: this painting was most likely not made for a church. It was probably meant for a private home.
That explains a lot.
Private paintings could be quieter, more personal, more… curious. No need to shout theology. No need to explain every symbol. Just something to look at closely, over time. Which is exactly what we’re doing now — 500 years later.
A different kind of sky.
In the Renaissance, painted skies were like visual storytelling tools. Everyone knew how to “read” them. Clouds, light, angels — all part of the shared visual language of faith.
But here’s the thing: you don’t really see this exact object elsewhere. That’s why this painting keeps pulling people back in. It doesn’t scream mystery — it whispers it.
Where can you see it today?
The original painting lives in Palazzo Vecchio, in Florence, Italy. It’s displayed in the Sala d’Ercole (Hercules Room).
If you ever find yourself in Florence, do yourself a favour: stand in front of it. Forget the internet theories. Just look. It feels very different in person — smaller, quieter, more intimate.
Small painting, big questions.
The size surprises people:
Approximate size: 48 × 63 cm
(about 19 × 25 inches)
This isn’t a giant dramatic masterpiece. It’s modest. Almost humble. Which makes the sky detail even more curious — because it’s so easy to miss.
So… UFO or not?
Sometimes art becomes interesting not because it hides secrets, but because it survives long enough for us to change.
So I’ll ask you the same question:
What do you think that object is?
A divine sign?
A misunderstood symbol?
Or the Renaissance equivalent of “you had to be there”?
Whatever the answer, one thing is certain: Ghirlandaio gave us a painting that still makes people stop, squint… and look up.