Long time no see. University, social life, work, all that jazz has kept me away. Anyways apologies, and on with the show.
My first sculpture post, and one about from a very famous artist. Michelangelo, a name that is most famously tied to the Sistine Chapel, although he would have wanted to be known more as a sculptor than a painter. I don't blame him. Don't get me wrong, I love the Sistine Chapel, especially the contrasts in style with the ceiling and the back wall (hopefully that can be another post, file that away in my head), but Michelangelo's sculptures are pieces that truly move me and leave me in awe.
My first sculpture post, and one about from a very famous artist. Michelangelo, a name that is most famously tied to the Sistine Chapel, although he would have wanted to be known more as a sculptor than a painter. I don't blame him. Don't get me wrong, I love the Sistine Chapel, especially the contrasts in style with the ceiling and the back wall (hopefully that can be another post, file that away in my head), but Michelangelo's sculptures are pieces that truly move me and leave me in awe.
Pietà (Italian for pity) is the perfect example of this, pure beauty in marble form. It shows the moment when Jesus is taken down from the cross and is laying in the Virgin Mary, his mother's, arms. In this depiction he is almost tumbling out of her lap, splayed forward so we can see his curved marble form. This is emphasized by the Virgin's left hand, which seems to be presenting Jesus to the audience. This isn't an uncommon motif, the presentation of Jesus after his crucifixion. It's an important foundation to the church, blame for the death of Jesus on us, the viewers, the mortals that spilled his blood. Look at this perfect form, look at how you tainted it, she seems to say. It gives a sense of obligation on the viewer, guilt that we can relieve through attending church, among other things.
At the same time, look at how flawless Jesus is portrayed. After a brutal torture and a crucifixion, his body seems almost untouched, hardly a scar to show the ordeal that he has been through. It seems that Michelangelo has decided not to emphasize the harshness of his death and mutilation, but on the sense of the spiritual side of Jesus' ascension. It's not a chaotic piece with emotions overwhelming the subject, instead it's calm and almost relaxing despite the context of the subject matter. We can see this reflected in the composition of the sculpture, with Mary's body creating a stable triangle on which everything is laid out for us, a stable form to handle the body of Jesus.
Not only is Jesus portrayed flawlessly, but so is Mary. She does not look like the mother of a 30 year old man, but a young woman. She is not in the realm of petty aging, she too is ethereal to us, look at her beauty. She is the embodiment of purity. She's also proportionally huge in comparison to Jesus, imagine if her large form stood up and how small his body would seem. It all seems to add into this otherwordly feel of ascension, not of mutilation and torture.
Although these things are beautiful to me, it's not personally the winning point to this sculpture. To me, I cannot get enough of the sweeping drapery. With those solid marble yet soft folds, it's like I could easily get lost in them all day, my eyes blissfully wandering. I don't know what it is about marble folds that just get me, but Michelangelo just gets me with it. The only other artist that I can name off the top of my head that evokes this fascination in folds is Bernini. It's such a perfect effect to me.
This sculpture is not one of death, but of heavenly ascension. It's a stunning piece, and to me, Michelangelo nailed it.
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| Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, Pietà (1498-9) Marble 174 cm × 195 cm |
At the same time, look at how flawless Jesus is portrayed. After a brutal torture and a crucifixion, his body seems almost untouched, hardly a scar to show the ordeal that he has been through. It seems that Michelangelo has decided not to emphasize the harshness of his death and mutilation, but on the sense of the spiritual side of Jesus' ascension. It's not a chaotic piece with emotions overwhelming the subject, instead it's calm and almost relaxing despite the context of the subject matter. We can see this reflected in the composition of the sculpture, with Mary's body creating a stable triangle on which everything is laid out for us, a stable form to handle the body of Jesus.
Not only is Jesus portrayed flawlessly, but so is Mary. She does not look like the mother of a 30 year old man, but a young woman. She is not in the realm of petty aging, she too is ethereal to us, look at her beauty. She is the embodiment of purity. She's also proportionally huge in comparison to Jesus, imagine if her large form stood up and how small his body would seem. It all seems to add into this otherwordly feel of ascension, not of mutilation and torture.
Although these things are beautiful to me, it's not personally the winning point to this sculpture. To me, I cannot get enough of the sweeping drapery. With those solid marble yet soft folds, it's like I could easily get lost in them all day, my eyes blissfully wandering. I don't know what it is about marble folds that just get me, but Michelangelo just gets me with it. The only other artist that I can name off the top of my head that evokes this fascination in folds is Bernini. It's such a perfect effect to me.
This sculpture is not one of death, but of heavenly ascension. It's a stunning piece, and to me, Michelangelo nailed it.
