Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Mary Worth 2308

Leonardo was a genius, but I'm not convinced he was a genius artist. Michelangelo was definitely a genius artist. He was insane. The Sistine Chapel? Three thousand square feet on his back? Mammoth marble statues? There's a cute little quote attributed to Michelangelo saying something like when I see a block of marble, I see the statue inside it, and all I do is chip away until it is free. Something like that. But where did he get the marble? He quarried it himself! It's not like he went down to the marble store like you or I would. He got a team of laborers and they went into the mountains and they risked life and limb for years actually finding the marble and bringing it to his studio a hundred miles away. Over two dozen major sculptures, including the David and the Pietà. Plus some pretty impressive paintings. Did I mention the Sistine Chapel? Oh, and he was an architect with buildings all around Florence and Rome. So forgive him if he isn't all that impressed with Leonardo Da Vinci, the toast of the town, the belle of the ball, and his tiny little Mona Lisa, and unfinished Last Supper. Sure he had genius ideas, but did he actually ever make that flying machine? He was a genius dreamer who could sketch up big ideas. Go dream some big ideas while sitting in the Laurentian Library and explain to me why Michelangelo should adore Leonardo Da Vinci.

Today's full strip

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I have learned something new today. Thanks, Worthy! I had no idea that Michelangelo was an architect and Wikipedia revealed that some of my favorite buildings in Florence (Medici Chapel) were designed by him.

Another reason that D and M didn't get along is their age difference and temperament. D was at his prime when M, 23 years younger, came along as an precocious and arrogant talent. M carved the masterpiece "Pietà" when he was only 23 years old. M felt like a threat to D's legacy, especially since M was rapidly replacing him as the darling of Rome, home to the most prestigious commissions. Plus M had Florence completely locked up; there's barely a hint of D there.

KitKat said...

Wanders and Leslie, I learned from both of you today - thank you very much. On the other hand, KM's inane dialogue ("He was also a genius artist! Why wasn't HE a fan?") has me in a perpetual wince - painful!

This painting was executed by Raphael in his Gray Period.

The walls of The Museum of Santa Royale are made of stone (or concrete) blocks???

Nance said...

Thanks to you, Wanders, I can now skip "Mary Worth" for the next four weeks. Your post was probably the "plot" for the next thirty strips.

carlnepa said...

Hi KitKat: They're in the damp basement, where they store their old masters collection.

Anonymous said...

Deep breaths, Wanders, deep breaths....

fauxprof said...

The Santa Royale Downtown Museum can't afford a real Raphael, nor have they enough prestige to be loaned one. That's a blown-up black and white Xerox copy. Toby carved the frame gratis, but they had to put on a special display of her little gray figurines.

Darth Curt said...

Michelangelo was also a genius with nunchuks, but Leonardo was the leader. Donatello and Raphael are also pretty cool too.

It's really a shame that Micheal Bay got a hold of that property.

Joolz said...

It's surprising that Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum would allow the Santa Royale Museum to borrow Raphael's Madonna del Prato for its "painting exhibit." I predict that in their next adventure together, Teacher/Professor Jones and his pupil Dawn will team up to solve an art theft.

Anonymous said...

As someone who goes off on long historical rants myself, I must stand up and applaud Wanders' historical rant today.

Bravo.

Chin Napkin Groupie said...

Take that Karen Moy!

Moss_Moses said...

Have other readers noticed the lush growth of Professor Harlan Jones' pornstache? It was pencil thin at the beginning of the episode but now is Magnum thick and bushy. Is this a signal for Dawn to get bolder in her stalking pursuit of PHJ?

Bill the Butcher said...

The spirit of Saddam Hussein has found a new home?