December 28, 2017 - 12:32 AMT
Cleaning crew uncovers two lost Raphael paintings in Vatican

A 500-year-old mystery was solved, when a cleaning crew went to restore a room inside the Vatican.

The crew uncovered two paintings created by Renaissance artist Raphael, hidden between other historical frescoes. The paintings didn’t fit in with the other art, and the crew soon realized that they’d found something sensational.

According to CNN, “The two female figures, one depicting Justice and the other Friendship, were painted by Raphael around the year 1519.”

It is believed that these two paintings were the last pieces Raphael worked on before his death. They were hidden and blended in within the frescos that were completed after he’d passed away.

Now that the masterpieces have been discovered, they are going to get the attention they deserve.

With infrared technology, it was confirmed that the paintings were indeed Raphael’s and separate from the rest of the wall on which they were executed.