Quote of the Day

“If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all.” - Michelangelo

Did You Know?

The Renaissance masterpiece "The Pieta" is the only work that Michelangelo Buonarroti ever signed. He later regretted what he considered  an outburst of pride and vowed to never sign another work again.  The Pieta is housed at St. Peter Basilica in Vatican City.

Mediate and Contemplate - The Sistine Chapel Virtual Tour

Detail view of the Sistine Chapel InteriorThe rather nondescript Sistine Chapel is undoubtedly the most famous structure in the Vatican--which enjoys around four million visitors each year. Completed in 1481 by Giovanni del Dolci, it is most famous for its amazing fresco programs. Contributors to the programs include such masters as Perugino, Pinturicchio, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio (Domenico and Benedetto), Signorelli, and Rosselli. Tapestries designed by Raphael also adorn the chapel.

The most important artworks there are the frescoes by Michelangelo on the ceiling and on the west wall behind the altar. Art historians have built entire careers on studying the works in the chapel--and there is a wealth of information about it. But...its true significance lies in the power of the images themselves. While nothing can ever take the place of seeing an artwork “in the flesh” -- anyone who has visited the chapel recently knows that its crowded and sometimes difficult to really appreciate all it has to offer.

The Sistine Chapel Virtual Tour is an excellent alternative to being there. You can zoom in on any detail you want to see, and navigate the entire chapel in whatever ways you choose. The music is lovely (so turn up your speakers) and the art is awe inspiring. This is truly a spiritual experience. So do visit. If you’re having a rough week--I promise this will make you feel better!

Did You Know?

Monet's father disapproved of his painting, he wanted him to be a grocer. In the early days of his career...he would have been better off BEING a grocer! The choice to become an artist wasn’t one that pleased many parents. Michelangelo’s father and uncle beat him repeatedly for his insistence on becoming a “common stone cutter.”

Expert Says Michelangelo Drew Inspiration from Brothels to Paint Frescoes in Sistine Chapel

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City. AP Photo.The Renaissance genius artist Michelangelo Buonarroti drew inspiration from various Italian brothels to paint some of the figures that form part of the frescoed panels of the Sistine Chapel, assured specialist Elena Lazzarini in an article published today in “Corriere della Sera”.

One of the frescoed panels of the Sistine Chapel was inspired by brothels according to the expert. Italian renaissance artists frequently went to what’s called “stufa”, public bathrooms similar to a brothel where prostitution was practiced often, to study models that would later be represented in their work.

Read the entire article on ArtDaily.org