2688.
Just consider for a moment the Sistine Chapel ceiling. If one looks at
the entire thing one notices how all of the various scenes are edged
with decorative patterns. It is true that the decorative patterns used
in the Sistine Chapel are much simpler compared to earlier work, and so
seem more modern to the contemporary eye.
2689.
But they are simpler because Mr. Buonarroti who painted them had to do
all of them himself as he would not consider having any assistants
working for him. He was no different from anyone else however when it
came to painting endless intersecting geometric patterns and so he kept
that part of his project to a minimum.
2690.
He was heard to say to the Pope one time, “Muscles interest me, and so
do the facial expressions of the dammed suffering the torments of hell,
and the look of rapture on the faces of angels and saints lit by the
glow of divine light, but I just can’t stand to spend my time carefully
painting rows of little circles intersecting little squares and
triangles all of which are supposed to remind one of inlaid marble work
of the type of interest to simple people.”
2691. But Faldoni was no Michelangelo and he couldn’t have painted the faces of the dammed in hell or the rapture on the faces of angels, but the painting of circles and triangles intersected by squares and ovals filled him with passionate excitement. He ‘curbed’ his enthusiasm however and even groaned and complained to himself about his task under his breath in the same way he heard everyone else complaining about it.
b
No comments:
Post a Comment