Brain Teasers
Defacement in the Chapel!
Art is to be appreciated from afar, rarely touched, and certainly never altered from the artist's original vision. One would never pencil in eyebrows on the Mona Lisa or dare to bolt mannequin arms to the Venus de Milo.
Yet, despite all this, there is a well-known piece of art that has been blatantly defaced. What is even stranger is that the offending defacer, though he meant to do his nasty work, did not WANT to. His identity was known, yet he was never arrested and never punished. Quite the opposite, his defacement was encouraged by the highest of powers in his day.
What is the piece of art?
Yet, despite all this, there is a well-known piece of art that has been blatantly defaced. What is even stranger is that the offending defacer, though he meant to do his nasty work, did not WANT to. His identity was known, yet he was never arrested and never punished. Quite the opposite, his defacement was encouraged by the highest of powers in his day.
What is the piece of art?
Hint
It's in the Sistine Chapel...Answer
The work in question is Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" in the Sistine Chapel. The fresco depicts the Earth, Heaven, and Hell. The figures are of various saints, all bearing the instruments of their deaths.These figures, each and every one, is entirely nude. Or at least they WERE. Michelangelo originally painted every figure completely naked, saying that in the end times the fresco represents, there would be no secrets, nothing would be unknown.
These nude figures caused quite a stir even before the final masterpiece was revealed. Many called it shocking and obscene, but it wasn't until 23 years later that anything was done. Pope Pius IV brought in Daniele da Volterra, one of Michelangelo's students, against his will to cover up the objectionable parts with painted cloths.
Some of the cloths have since been professionally removed, but the debate over the decency of the painting continues to this day.
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Comments
Had an idea of what you were getting at, but not the specific art. Interesting explanation, I didn't know that. Thanks.
Wow, great job! I had fun reading it although I have no clue when it comes to art.
Wow I didn't know that. Thanks for posting this.
cool, i learned something...
As a fine art teacher i got it right away, but it's one of those rare riddles that i wish i'd written myself.
I'm adding to my favs. Great job
I'm adding to my favs. Great job
How could they, art is art!!!
I agree with AndrewWalker, but still that is a hard decision to make. Yes, its very old, and priceless and should be left unchanged, so that future generations can see its original beauty, but I can see where the pope was coming from. I'm sure there are many field trips and other events that take place in the Sistine Chapel, and you wouldn't want children seeing that. Really good question, I learned something. Maybe I can tell my art teacher next class!
cool
Wonderful teaser. Learned something today I had never heard before. Thanks for posting.
Very informative and interesting, but what makes it a teaser?
Babe-You are being teased to see if you know the answer, so that makes it a teaser.
By the way,I knew the answer.
By the way,I knew the answer.
I thought Mt. Rushmore, and the culprit was the wind.
Oh, and art is art. If you don't want your children seeing nudes, shield them from one of the most important historical humanities. idiots.
Oh, and art is art. If you don't want your children seeing nudes, shield them from one of the most important historical humanities. idiots.
It was interesting, and on the nudity, I totally agree with Sbuske.
The last two people who posted make me smile. They are trying to convince people how to raise their children in a century that was so long ago and modesty was a way of life, and nudity was unheard of. Times were a lot different back then my friends!
I got the answer and a history lesson.
nicely done
I guessed the same sbuse "Mt Rushmore, that was easy" The answer was unexpected.
YEP ! That ol" human body, really gross. What ?? Its said it was created by Who ?
I was an art history major in high school, so I knew it was a painting in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo with nude Saints. It was almost 50 years ago that I graduated, so for the life of me, I couldn't remember the name of it or the particulars about it beyond that. Amazed myself that I remembered as much as I did!
We're all born naked, and we die naked - well, the lucky ones!
Interesting bit of trivia. I never know that about the painting. As a teaser, so-so.
I love it, mainly because I love art but also i love how you put effort into it, keep making stuff and you can get better and more love. From:iida
I had no idea this was what happened. A great teaser and a very informative explanation. Thank you!
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