I have been to the Vatican many times but have never done a tour. This time we did, and it was fantastic. We had an art history professor from the university, and it was worth every cent. I am probably the only person (and perhaps the vaguest) who has visited the Sistine Chapel and hasn’t processed that the side walls are The Life of Moses and The Life of Christ. It is incredible what an art historian can point out.
I loved hearing the stories of the massive disagreements between Michelangelo and the very uptight men of the church. I thought it fabulous that Michelangelo cracked it on numerous occasions after being told he was immoral and obscene for painting naked figures. I am now totally intrigued by a man born near Arezzo where we had been, supposedly gay, but a devout catholic, who cracked it at cardinals, bishops, and popes somewhat regularly and stomped off to Florence.
Once again, I never knew that the flayed skin being dragged down into hell in The Last Judgement is a self-portrait by the Florence stomping Master.
The best bit, however, was the hilarity that ensued when someone (who will remain nameless) thought it would have been a breeze to paint the ceiling. “Surely, would have only taken a few hours”. “No, it took five years”. “What …. ???”. Turns out the nameless person thought Michelangelo painted on sheets of Gyprock and nailed it up. While more cry-laughing happened (out of the sacred space), we did learn about why frescoes last – all to do with wet plaster. The fact that the unnamed person thought the Gyprock would just get squirted down with a bit of water – oh dear, the cry-laughing was so bad, I had a pain in my side for hours.
Sleeping under the stars 