How DID he do it?

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Didja know that Michaelangelo, or Mikey darling (as I affectionately call him) painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
Ok ok, that was an obvious fact, everybody knows that (or they should. I'd be disappointed in you all if you didn't, as a matter of fact).

Now, how does one paint a ceiling? Tough job, aint it? Some of us (actually, i dont know anyone who's done this) might have painted the ceiling of your room or house a particular colour. So how did Mikey darling paint portraits and sceneries on the ceiling, using a very tough yet beautiful technique called a fresco?

I have to admit, when I went to the Vatican, and when I entered the Sistine Chapel, I had no idea what was so great about it, that it was a brilliant piece of architecture or one of the greatest works of art in the world (what, I was 11!). I wasn't interested when my mother told me that a great artist, Michaelangelo, almost became blind after painting the Sistine Chapel. And I was never curious as to how on earth did Mikey darling actually get up all the way there and paint those paintings! I just figured it was a part of the ceiling, it had been put up there when it was made. Chapter Closed.

Well, now that I'm very much into art, and consider Mikey darling as my numero uno favourite painter, I did a bit of background information, and learned how exactly he painted the ceiling of the famous Sistine Chapel.

Contrary to popular belief (and believe me, I've heard this one around), Mikey darling (raise your hands - or just comment later - if you're sick of that nickname!) did NOT lie down horizontally on a piece of wood suspended right below the ceiling. That really woulda been much easier, right? Well, Mikey decided to do it the hard way.

He painted standing up. With his head tilted upward.

Here's a sonnet describing his physical pain. Enjoy.

Here like a cat in a Lombardy sewer! Swelter and toil!
With my neck puffed out like a pigeon,
belly hanging like an empty sack,
beard pointing at the ceiling, and my brain
fallen backwards in my head!
Breastbone bulging like a harpy’s
and my face, from drips and droplets,
patterned like a marble pavement.
Ribs are poking in my guts; the only way
to counterweight my shoulders is to stick
my butt out. Don’t know where my feet are-
they’re just dancing by themselves!
In front I’ve sagged and stretched; behind,
my back is tauter than an archer’s bow!

Anyhoo, this is something related to what we are studying right now (not really, but still). Background information. hehehe.

:)