Wednesday 26 January 2011

How to paint a cat - step 3

Michelangelo’s wall fresco The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel of Vatican City was commissioned 30 years after he completed the ceiling of the same building. However, the prevailing attitudes of the time and the artistic movement of the Renaissance did not always line up, as is the case in The Last Judgment.

The artist was accused of immorality and obscenity, having depicted naked figures inside this most important church. After Michelangelo’s death, the nudity was censored with robes and fig leaves painted onto the work by one of his own students, Daniele da Volterra. History remembers da Volterra by the derogatory nickname “Il Braghettone,” which translates “the breeches-painter.”

Similar covers have been applied to paintings and sculptures in many cases since, causing debates between art purists and advocates for modern applications of decency.

Now I am not one to dictate what you should and should not do but I personally feel this sort of censorship is a sad reflection of the times we live in and I strongly recommend you do not succumb to any social pressure you may feel to censor your work. We all know cats have dicks and burgers. Your painting is a representation of life, nature, a lingering projection. Project the truth. I will go into technical details in the next step.



No comments:

Post a Comment