The recent restoration of the famous Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco by Michelangelo has raised many questions and controversy while creating quite a stir among artists, scholars and critics. The current controversy talks about opposition concerning cleaning of paintings and four decades of debate on the value of scientific restoration. To critics and scholars, a yellow glow, a patina of old varnish, represented a quality that gave a work status. To remove this varnish even with its added layer of soot collected over decades is thought to be defiling the art. One modern opponent of restoration, E.H. Gombrich, opposes cleaning unless it becomes so dark it can no longer be seen and appreciated. In the modern debate, it has been argued that the painters of that time chose their colors taking into account how they would age . They mostly ignored the aesthetic desires of their patrons. The idea is that time mellows and sweetens the work as well. The process of restoring something of this magnitude is a very precise science. There are chemical analysis sessions that are performed by conservators who are trained in chemistry, physics, and a range of other basic sciences. Discolored coatings are removed Layer by layer. The focus is always not to do anything that is irreversible. No matter how thoughtful the criticism is, and because the project is unlikely to be halted when it is half done, undermining the confidence of the conservators is rather unfortunate. This is what some critics are saying about this increasingly heated debate. A visit to this monumental work of art is gaining a new sense of urgency these days , because critics say that a big chunk of the ceiling is being destroyed every day. People are saying that the uncovering...
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...f purposeful respect and not personal desire. There is wisdom to be learned here not to tamper with greatness, and Michelangelo must be rolling over in his grave a bit to see the things that are going on. I am rambling a bit, but the point I think is to consider how the artist would want it to be treated as his legacy.
Works Cited
Muchnic, Suzanne. “CRYING IN THE CHAPEL Is the Cleaning of the Sistine Chapel a Glorious Restoration or a Monumental Sacrilege?” ProQuest Newsstand. 5 April 1987 Tribune Publishing Company. 31 May 2012 http://search.proquest.com.proxy.itt-tech.edu/newsstand/docprintview/292526362/Record/
Degregori, Thomas R. “The Sistine Chapel ceiling: Is restoration a good idea?” ProQuest Newsstand. 30 Nov. 1986 Houston Chronicle Publishing Company Division. 31 May 2012 http://search.proquest.com.proxy.itt-tech.edu/docview/295271493?accountid=27655
...olour scheme used showed how much value was engaged in the style and material that were presented in the painting. In evaluating the chapter comparing to the painting the author felt that the beginning of the era the skill level was often not acknowledged whereas materials were, but at the end of the era, skill level played a larger factor in who was chosen to complete the artwork. Therefore, the significance of the applicability of the chapter to the fresco painting changed as a deposit of relations of the artist and art they created with there talent, style, and skills.
It is a known fact that artists paint how they feel or about how they view the world, modern famous artists paint about political or social problems facing our world today such as Kerry James Marshall who paints about his view towards modern day racism. Artists of the renaissance period used art to materialize their thoughts and ideas instead of voicing their opinions and thoughts, artist of the renaissance period preferred to display their thoughts on a canvas splattered with paint. One example of artists expressing their beliefs through a brush and paint is the famous painting by Michelangelo, which was painted on the celling of the Sistine chapel. In the book titled Art, Power, and Patronage in Renaissance Italy by John T. Paoletti and
Weisse, Daniel H. “Architectural symbolism and the decoration of the Ste.-Chapelle.” The Art Bulletin 77.2 (1995):308. Academic OneFile.
The Basilica of St. Denis was originally built in 500-599 AD, but was later reconstructed by Abbot Suger in c.1135-1144. Although its original architect is unknown, it is most famous for its reconstruction that was overseen by Abbot Suger (Panofsky). This basilica is also well known for its representation of Europe’s architectural shift from the Romanesque style to Gothic. The Gothic style brought new designs and was dubbed the “transformat...
Art, by definition, is “something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings”. Throughout history, one way that art has been used is to reflect a multitude of ideas and beliefs. Christian beliefs and ideas have been portrayed in artwork since the beginning of Christianity, although, it was not always acceptable to do so. The idea of the final judgement is a Christian idea that has been displayed in art repeatedly in a variety of ways. Michelangelo’s fresco the Last Judgment (1536-1541) is a piece that visualizes this idea. Since the time it was finished, this significant piece found in the Sistine Chapel has been continuously critiqued and analyzed. Many Christians struggle to interpret the event of a final judgment after reading it through Scripture. In analyzing Michelangelo’s piece, it is similar difficult to determine what he exactly meant to portray and what the various part of his masterpiece represent exactly. Many have examined this piece and made different regarding what exactly the various figures and objects are supposed to represent. The diverse interpretations of this work further shows the idea that when Christian ideas are reflected through artwork, it is hard to ascertain exactly what an artist intended to demonstrate. In addition, the controversies surrounding this piece represent the idea that when Christian ideas are revealed through art, there is potential for disagreement regarding what should and should not be included in Christian art. Michelangelo’s Last Judgment is just an example of what results when Christianity is brought into art.
It took him four years to complete the whole ceiling. The Sistine Chapel is located in Vatican City, Italy which is the headquarters for the Roman Catholic Church. Michelangelo started painting the ceiling at the top of the altar and made his way towards the other side and ended by the entrance to the chapel. The 65-foot wide ceiling was painted in a such a way that, the viewer had to be standing at the farthest side of the altar wall in order to get the “best viewing point.” The whole story line of the entire ceiling was centered around the Old Testament; Michelangelo began with painting the Creation of the world and he finished with the story of Noah and the Flood. Michelangelo painted 12 female prophets around the outer edges of the ceiling, and in the remaining strip of the Ceiling at the center, he paints nine Genesis scenes, which included: the Creation of the World, Adam and Eve, and Noah, with 3 scenes from each story. All of these scenes were framed by a grisaille molding and statues in order for them to stand out from the other paintings. The colors in the painting have brightened up the whole chapel as a whole. The ceiling itself was painted a grayish and whitish tone, while the figures are painted different colors from pale to gold-bronze to very tan; it all depended on the person portrayed in the painting. A lot of the figures that exist in the spaces between the frames have
As we read through the third chapter of "The Last Judgment and The Critics" from Bernadine Barnes's Michelangelo's Last Judgment - The Renaissance Response, it is striking to see the two completely opposite views on the fresco by the sixteenth century critics, where " those who approved of it saw it as the height of Renaissance art; those who disapproved saw it as an unsuitable use of art" and that "it was censured as the work of an arrogant man, and it was justified as a work that made celestial figures more beautiful than natural" (71).
In this research paper I will be looking at two different artworks by the same artist. The two I will be looking at are the Sistine Chapel Ceiling (1508-1512) and The Last Judgment (1534). Both of these painting are painted in the Sistine chapel which is located in the Vatican. I am going to attempt to evaluate these two pieces of art painted by Michelangelo and explain the cultural and religious aspects of them. I will also look to other scholars to get their perspective and their reactions to the paintings. The last step of my research will be to formulate a theory about the relationship between culture and religion and use my topic to help defend my theory.
...laced on the style and materials presented in the painting. While evaluating and comparing various paintings the author feels that at the beginning of the Renaissance era the skill level of the artist was often not acknowledged whereas materials were, but at the end of the era, skill level played a larger factor in who was chosen to complete the artwork. Therefore, fresco painting, which emerged near the end of the period, changed this so called “deposit”, along with the relationship of the artist and the patron, allowing for the talent and skill of the artist to shine.
Much of the art created during the Renaissance was geared toward religion, and with Michelangelo this was no exception. By th...
As the seventeenth century began the Catholic Church was having a hard time bringing back the people who were swept away by the protestant reformation. The conflict between the protestant had a big influence on art. (Baroque Art) The church decided to appeal to the human emotion and feeling. They did so by introducing a style called Baroque. Baroque was first developed in Rome and it was dedicated to furthering the aims of Counter Reformation. Baroque was first used in Italy than later spread to the north. In this paper I will argue that the Italian Baroque pieces were more detailed and captured the personality of the figure, in contrast and comparison to Northern Baroque pieces that aimed to produce a sense of excitement and to move viewers in an emotional sense leaving them in awe. I will prove this by talking about the different artwork and pieces of Italian Baroque art versus Northern Baroque Art.
Thesis: Both St. John the Baptist Cathedral and Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Chartres are constructed in French Gothic style which means that architecturally they have many similarities. However, the 700 year gap between their construction offers St. John the Baptist more flexibility in design and style. Still, their likeness and variations extend far beyond the realm of their design.
The shift between the Middle Ages and Renaissance was documented in art for future generations. It is because of the changes in art during this time that art historians today understand the historical placement and the socio-economic, political, and religious changes of the time. Art is a visual interpretation of one’s beliefs and way of life; it is through the art from these periods that we today understand exactly what was taking place and why it was happening. These shifts did not happen overnight, but instead changed gradually though years and years of art, and it is through them that we have record of some of the most important changes of historic times.
The Last Judgement by Michelangelo is the most preeminent representation of Italian Renaissance fine art, and undoubtedly the most valuable piece of the era. Characteristics of Italian Renaissance artwork are present throughout the painting. Realism, perspective, individualism, light & shadowing and are the most prominent qualities of this painting. Particularly, realism is expressed through the nudity of the people displayed in the painting, not every person’s body is perfect, ideally many bodies have flaws. Realism and expression are shown when “the proportions of his figures grew… more menacing… [and] seething with nudity” (1). The people behind the altar of the Chapel were naked with indecent expressions, displaying individual
Clearly, the piece is not in its original form, nor was it even twenty years after completion. However, due to the concern, care, diligence, and expertise of many art lovers, there remains at least a remnant of da Vinci’s masterpiece to be studied and enjoyed by future scholars and visitor.