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Comment by HotMess on April 6, 2012 at 5:46pm

Stumbled over this when I was googling stuff about Michelangelo and just had to bump ...

Comment by Howard S. Dunn on December 14, 2009 at 3:56pm

There was an art historian (don't remember his name) who wrote not one but two books on the beauty of the 'desaturated' color he used. Of course, when they removed the years of oily candle tallow from the images it became clear that the great artist used almost comic book colors. This 'historian' went on a rant about how the artist had predicted and intended the effect of the candles and the 'restorers' had ruined the work! No. However, the had destroyed the validity of the guy's books!

Yep - he was a sculptor through and through.

Comment by Chrys Stevenson on December 14, 2009 at 3:31pm

Michelangelo didn't want to paint the Sistine Chapel. He insisted that he wasn't a painter. He was a sculptor. When he finished the work he signed it: Michelangelo the Sculptor.

I've seen the Sistine Chapel - unfortunately before it was cleaned. It was, at first, singularly unspectacular - the colours muddy and faded. But as I stood and looked at it, the figures almost seem to come to life - it was, quite simply, amazing.

And I agree about the David, too. I couldn't believe that even the veins on his hands were intricately shown in the marble.

I think Michelangelo is one of my favourite artists.

Comment by Howard S. Dunn on December 14, 2009 at 3:10pm

Actually - if you read "The Pope's Ceiling" you may find some different theories on Mich. He very well may have had aspergers - which could have made it difficult for him to 'get it on' with anyone. Most of the speculation on his sexual orientation is based on a lack of info - which seems to imply homosexuality, since he wouldn't have 'hidden' heterosexual conquests.

The muscular Eve could have come from his inability to paint a woman's physique - pretty common among these artists who were approaching photographic realism without the benefit of a camera. There is a tendency for artists to paint 'themselves' when they lack good reference. Most of Mich's were cadavres - and we look remarkably alike under our skin.

The David is AMAZING. Mich saw himself as a sculptor, he painted the ceiling as a 'compromise' to get more sculptural commisions.

However, he definitely did not like the Church all that much.

Comment by Ian on December 14, 2009 at 3:02pm

The butch bodied Eve is supposed to be a result of Mickey A's taste in bed mates, which was towards outties rather than innies. The exposed bum painting takes on a whole new connotation once you are aware of his sexual orientation.

His statue of David is one of the few art works I have seen that was better than I expected in person. It stunned me into silence, which is hard to do.