Description
Since 1512, for over five centuries, the magnificent artistic achievement of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling, considered one of the greatest works of art history, has enthralled millions of enthusiasts from all different backgrounds. This singular masterpiece, sponsored by Pope Julius II, is lauded for its exceptional aesthetic value of elegance and ideal beauty, reflecting the optimism of the intellectual and emotional power that characterized the High Renaissance. My research examines the philosophical dilemma of appreciating art that possesses moral flaws, specifically in regard to Michelangelo's ninth ceiling panel, the "Drunkenness of Noah." While artistically appreciated and enjoyed, it presents a severe ethical flaw that arguably diminishes the painting's aesthetic value. The overlooked dark side is that it propagandizes the harmful and erroneous precept of the Curse of Ham, which espouses that God has cursed people of color and validates the justification of their enslavement and oppression.
The Dark Side Of The Sistine Chapel: Aesthetics and Ethical Flaws
Since 1512, for over five centuries, the magnificent artistic achievement of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling, considered one of the greatest works of art history, has enthralled millions of enthusiasts from all different backgrounds. This singular masterpiece, sponsored by Pope Julius II, is lauded for its exceptional aesthetic value of elegance and ideal beauty, reflecting the optimism of the intellectual and emotional power that characterized the High Renaissance. My research examines the philosophical dilemma of appreciating art that possesses moral flaws, specifically in regard to Michelangelo's ninth ceiling panel, the "Drunkenness of Noah." While artistically appreciated and enjoyed, it presents a severe ethical flaw that arguably diminishes the painting's aesthetic value. The overlooked dark side is that it propagandizes the harmful and erroneous precept of the Curse of Ham, which espouses that God has cursed people of color and validates the justification of their enslavement and oppression.