Plan B Forum

ROME: For the thousands of pilgrims and tourists who troop through the Sistine Chapel every day, Michelangelo's Last Judgment is a monumental depiction of the second coming of Christ.

But a new study claims that the huge painting is also based on the seedy scenes the 16th-century artist witnessed at Roman public baths which doubled as brothels.

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The figures descending to hell and ascending to heaven are inspired by the virile, muscular manual workers and porters Michelangelo would have seen during his visits to the baths, which are well-documented," said Elena Lazzarini, a researcher at the University of Pisa and the author of the study. "It was here he defined the build of the working man as the ideal physique."

The public baths which proliferated in Rome at the time offered steam rooms, massages and basic medical treatments with leeches, "but also rooms offering scenes of promiscuity and prostitution, both male and female", she said.

Ms Lazzarini points out that in the painting, which spans an entire wall of the chapel, one of the damned is being dragged down to hell by his testicles while men heading for heaven hug and kiss "in an ambiguous fashion". "Such scenes could have been inspired by the visits to the baths," she said.

Antonio Paolucci, the director of the Vatican Museums, said Lazzarini's theory was no cause for embarrassment to the Holy See.

"It's entirely possible and it changes nothing," he said. "Michelangelo studied the human form everywhere, including in hospitals. And that passion for the human body, particularly male, remains unchanged."

After its completion, opponents within the Vatican to the preponderance of nude men in the painting came close to demolishing it. Exposed genitals were covered by artist Daniele da Volterra, who was nicknamed "the breeches painter".

"The pope's master of ceremonies at the time said the painting was a work only fit to be hung in public baths and hostelry and he was spot-on," Ms Lazzarini said.

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art ... 17rty.html

Dragged to Hell by his balls

oldr_n_wsr wrote:

Dragged to Hell by his balls

Well that's one way to do it.