Thank you sir! I have been watching your videos for quite some time now, and have learned a lot about art and artists who created it, the how and why etc. Your lectures are lively informative and satisfying. Looking forward to continue my journey understanding great art and artists who created it. Thank you again.
Dr. Shafe, your discussion of the painting of the Sistine Chapel is extremely interesting. Your point about Michelangelo painting standing up with arms over his head is mind-blowing. I have never painted a chapel ceiling, but I can tell you that after 30 minutes of painting our bathroom ceiling (with a roller !) my arms were falling off. I have difficulty grasping the magnitude and difficulty of this monumental work. My God (no pun intended !) what a feat !
I agree, I have done the same and suffered for it. Michelangelo could easily have had a platform built to enable him to paint lying down so it was his choice. He must have been a tough guy.
Thank you. Why would the Pope call M to Rome to design the facade of San Lorenzo, Florence? It's pronounced: Angnolo- the gno is like the 'ill' in "Million", and Medici is MED-ici, emphasis on the first syllable.
Apologies, I can't find where I said the Pope called him to Rome. San Lorenzo is in Florence and Leo X, who was a Medici, visited Florence in 1515 and held a competition to design the facade. Many of the leading artists took part and Michelangelo was keen to win and in 1516 Leo X gave him responsibility for the design of the facade as well as the sculptural decoration. When Leo X died in 1521, Hadrian VI became Pope and then Clement VII, another Medici, who said he would continue the work but little happened and on his death 1534 the project died with him.
Dr. Shafe The Pieta is an incredibly beautiful work - astonishing in its virtuosity and emotional power. However, something has always bothered ne, and I would love to hear your opinion. It seems to me that the Virgin`s right hand is much too large as she clutches Christ`s body, If I compare with the right hand of Jesus, the proportions seem wrong. Is this for "dramatic effect" ? This is undoubtedly "nit-picking" of the worst kind when considering an absolute masterpiece of world art, but it still bothers me. Do I need to seek professional help ? I enjoy your presentations always and have recommended your videos to several artist friends. Cheers.
Let me answer in two ways. First, I feel sympathy because there are many paintings by famous artists where I notice something that looks wrong and I cannot get it out of my mind. A good example is the incorrect reflection in Manet's 'A Bar at the Folies-Bergère'. We know from sketches that he moved the reflection to the wrong place intentionally. Another example is the disproportionally large woman in the background of his 'Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe'. Second, I would argue that the hand is a deliberate choice by Michelangelo to symbolise the strength of her compassion and support for her son and it shows her as a powerful figure able to bear the sorrow of her son's death. He often exaggerated anatomical features to convey emotion and narrative, for example, the right hand of his sculpture of 'David' is disproportionally large. I hope that avoids the need to seek professional help :)
@@LaurenceShafe Thank you Dr. Shafe ! Given Michelangelo`s technical mastery, I doubted that this was a technical error. I suspected that there could certainly be a "symbolic" value to this, and you have indeed confirmed it. Merci beaucoup ! I have cancelled my medical apointment. ;)
Another comprehensive and thoughtful tribute to an amazing artist. Thank you for your in-depth research and presentation.
Thank you sir! I have been watching your videos for quite some time now, and have learned a lot about art and artists who created it, the how and why etc. Your lectures are lively informative and satisfying. Looking forward to continue my journey understanding great art and artists who created it. Thank you again.
thank you for your amazing lectures!
Fascinatig as always and many thanks.
Very interesting - thank you for sharing - love your videos
wow vasari sacrificing his own work to preserve leonardos, chapeau
excellent work. Thank you!
Dr. Shafe, your discussion of the painting of the Sistine Chapel is extremely interesting. Your point about Michelangelo painting standing up with arms over his head is mind-blowing. I have never painted a chapel ceiling, but I can tell you that after 30 minutes of painting our bathroom ceiling (with a roller !) my arms were falling off. I have difficulty grasping the magnitude and difficulty of this monumental work. My God (no pun intended !) what a feat !
I agree, I have done the same and suffered for it. Michelangelo could easily have had a platform built to enable him to paint lying down so it was his choice. He must have been a tough guy.
Perhaps the Pope breathing down his neck for years kept him loose !@@LaurenceShafe
Thank you. Why would the Pope call M to Rome to design the facade of San Lorenzo, Florence?
It's pronounced: Angnolo- the gno is like the 'ill' in "Million", and Medici is MED-ici, emphasis on the first syllable.
Apologies, I can't find where I said the Pope called him to Rome. San Lorenzo is in Florence and Leo X, who was a Medici, visited Florence in 1515 and held a competition to design the facade. Many of the leading artists took part and Michelangelo was keen to win and in 1516 Leo X gave him responsibility for the design of the facade as well as the sculptural decoration. When Leo X died in 1521, Hadrian VI became Pope and then Clement VII, another Medici, who said he would continue the work but little happened and on his death 1534 the project died with him.
Dr. Shafe
The Pieta is an incredibly beautiful work - astonishing in its virtuosity and emotional power.
However, something has always bothered ne, and I would love to hear your opinion. It seems to me that the Virgin`s right hand is much too large as she clutches Christ`s body, If I compare with the right hand of Jesus, the proportions seem wrong. Is this for "dramatic effect" ?
This is undoubtedly "nit-picking" of the worst kind when considering an absolute masterpiece of world art, but it still bothers me.
Do I need to seek professional help ?
I enjoy your presentations always and have recommended your videos to several artist friends.
Cheers.
Let me answer in two ways. First, I feel sympathy because there are many paintings by famous artists where I notice something that looks wrong and I cannot get it out of my mind. A good example is the incorrect reflection in Manet's 'A Bar at the Folies-Bergère'. We know from sketches that he moved the reflection to the wrong place intentionally. Another example is the disproportionally large woman in the background of his 'Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe'.
Second, I would argue that the hand is a deliberate choice by Michelangelo to symbolise the strength of her compassion and support for her son and it shows her as a powerful figure able to bear the sorrow of her son's death. He often exaggerated anatomical features to convey emotion and narrative, for example, the right hand of his sculpture of 'David' is disproportionally large.
I hope that avoids the need to seek professional help :)
@@LaurenceShafe Thank you Dr. Shafe ! Given Michelangelo`s technical mastery, I doubted that this was a technical error. I suspected that there could certainly be a "symbolic" value to this, and you have indeed confirmed it. Merci beaucoup ! I have cancelled my medical apointment. ;)