14 DAY TRIAL // A British couple discovered a valuable mural of Henry VIII when redecorating their Somerset residence a few years ago. The almost life-size mural is an artifact of national importance particularly after discovering the fact that turning the mural upside down shows Satan's image.
Attention to detail is very important, especially when the subject of discussion is a century old mural of an incredible value. These details led the couple to discover the amazing two-faced mural, that transforms from the image of Henry on his throne to the image of Hell's almighty.
Husband and wife, Angie and Rhodri Powell discovered Henry's portrait while redecorating their 16th-century residence from Somerset. Their excitement could not be matched, especially after an official spokesman talked about the great value of the mural for England's history and patrimony.
The hidden significance of the painting shows the fact that someone who did not agree with Henry's self-establishment as head of the Church in England was the one who commissioned it. The couple didn't even notice the image of the devil in the mural until a small postcard with the same portrait fell on the floor. When they went to pick it up, they had a bit of a scare, seeing Satan's image instead of Henry VIII siting on his throne.
“It was fairly low light. My husband noticed the face...we were both very spooked. It's quite an unpleasant image. I was a bit horrified...I realized it was the devil,” Mrs. Powell says according to DailyMail. Spooked by the sinister side of the painting, the next morning the couple went to check on the painting and were reassured when they discovered the same mural with Henry siting in his throne.
They called in a specialist who confirmed the fact that there is an optical illusion hidden in the portrait. The mural is thought to date from around 1530s or 1540s, and it is very possible to be a personal joke of one of Henry's many opponents. In the two-faced mural, the king's narrow shoulders turn into the devil's chin when viewed upside-down and his odd sleeves are the devils satanic eyes.
After understanding the meaning behind the mural, the Powell couple look at it with different eyes, “this was really a delightful piece of satire.” The dark sense of humor of Henry's opponents made its way through time and now sits tight in the couple's personal drawing-room in the village of Milverton.