It is interesting that neither of these is Christian in
subject. It was a great surprise to
discover how much of the art adorning the walls and halls of the Vatican
properties was not Christian-themed. It
was also interesting—if not historically significant—to learn that while
Michaelangelo and Raphael are well-represented, Leonardo daVinci is
conspicuously absent in the Vatican.
Anyone who has read the daVinci code need not wonder why.
I had to force our tour guide to change her plans in order
to see the Raphael rooms. The flow of
tour traffic is strictly regulated by guards throughout the Vatican. Given where we entered, we could not easily
incorporate Raphael into our circuit without trading it for “the
ancients.” It was worth it.
Raphael and Michelangelo were said to be competitors in
their day. There is much to suggest that
Raphael had the opportunity to glance at the Sistine Chapel during the
completion of his frescos. What he saw
overwhelmed him and pushed the quality of his art. School of Athens is the beneficiary of
this effort, as it is dramatically superior in quality than the frescos in the
adjoining rooms, many of which are believed to be completed by others from
Raphael’s workshop after his death at the tender age of 37.
Having only seen this masterpiece in art books, I was
astounded by its scale. Covering a large
wall in a room that was used for dining, and positioning its focal point well
over the heads of the occupants, the work is larger than life. Depicting a debate between Plato and
Aristotle—the former gesturing to the heavens while the latter looks to the
Earth—it is set in an incongruously Roman setting with sharply defined
architectural details. Like many works
of Renaissance art, this one holds many secrets. The image of Plato is a portrait of Leonardo
daVinci (ironic that he finds himself as a surprise guest at the Vatican); the
others in the gallery depict notables from Raphael’s time. Even Raphael himself is portrayed as a witness
to this improbably scene.
While Raphael’s opportunity to cover the walls of several
apartment rooms would have been a lucrative commission, it is regrettable that
this was destined as a private space—never to be seen by the public. Imagine the blow to the artist’s ego when he
discovers that his painstaking masterpieces are to be sequestered in the
plastered walls of a remote residence!
Michelangelo, by contrast, was given the ceiling of a chapel—a building
that would be used by hundreds of people on a regular basis. Initially, the two men were unaware of each
other’s works, but when Raphael discovered Michelangelo’s good fortune, it
fueled his jealousy and pushed his art.
I was unprepared for the impact of Michelangelo’s
ceiling. The Sistine Chapel is not a
large building; nor is it particularly grand architecturally. And by comparison to the overadorned,
art-encrusted buildings throughout the Vatican, it is simple and
understated. Other than tours, the only
use for this space is during conclave, when the College of Cardinals meets to
choose the next Pope. But for this
highest of all purposes, they have saved the best of the best.
Michelangelo was not a painter; he was a sculptor. It is said that he was unhappy to have been
pushed into accepting the chapel ceiling commission, but times being what they
were, he was unable to refuse. The irony
is that his work does little to discount his worth as a painter—and this he
does by revealing his sculptor’s eye, creating figures so three-dimensional
they could have been carved from stone. Each body possesses such form and
weight, a feat accomplished by the most skillful blending of pigments, that
they seem in high relief against the background. These are not the crowded, detailed, graphic
Roman scenes we saw across rooms and rooms of frescoes and tapestries. These are simple Biblical stories bathed in
holy light.
I have seen the beautiful scene of Creation a thousand times
in print: Adam’s lifeless index finger
about to be charged by the spark of G-d.
I was surprised to discover how much more this panel told me in person
(once I put on my glasses so I could see it at its great distance from the
floor.) Michelangelo was a remarkable
storyteller. As Adam was created in
G-d’s image, so this Adam is the very reflection of G-d. Adam’s splayed out leg is parallel and exact
in form to G-d’s own, their toes identical on identical feet. Even through the draping of G-d’s figure, you
can see that his physique is the model for Adam’s, his facial features clearly
reflected in Adam’s younger countenance.
I can go on and on.
What impressed me most in Michelangelo’s tableau was the
elegance and restraint. Clearly he had
access to the finest materials and pigments, but they were not shown off by superfluous ornamentation. These panels had the simplest of backgrounds
while the subjects were focused and clear.
And like the sculptor that he was, he communicated everything through
the figures themselves—through composition, gesture, expression, and pose. The approach had a mixed media effect,
clearly distinguishing it from anything that had come before and also from
everything that has been accomplished since.
I found myself standing in the chapel in a kind of
trance. Despite the buzz of the crowd, I
heard only angels singing. Tears flowed
uncontrollably from my eyes. It was the
emotion of having finally fulfilled one of my greatest dreams—a high entry on
my personal bucket list. I was awed by
the genius of the sculptor as painter, by the physical and creative capital
expended in the making of art, and by the enduring beauty and relevance of the
resulting masterpiece.
There have been several efforts in modern times to digitize
great works of art, making them “accessible” to all. Seeing and studying an important painting
online may be useful for educational purposes.
But for a truly religious experience, visit the great masterpieces of
the world up close and personal.
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