Naked Christ
Lordy
Date: 20-Aug-2007
A two-metre high sculpture of a naked Jesus Christ, carved by Michelangelo, has been unearthed in an Italian village. Tuesday night's Foreign Correspondent (on ABC TV) will screen images of the sculpture, which has been housed in the Monastery of San Vincenzo de Matire, two hours west of Rome, for over 400 years.
Michelangelo started work on the sculpture in the early 1500s. It was commissioned by a wealthy family for a tomb and it was specified that it be nude as a symbol of humility. A classical art mystery, the sculpture was only rumoured to exist until a scholar discovered it while performing a routine stocktake of artworks in the monastery. It was moved out of sight, and has not been seen for decades.
Apparently, Michelangelo spent two years carving the sculpture from the feet up only to abandon the piece when he discovered flaws in the white marble when he began work on the face, at which point he gave the sculpture away in exchange for a horse.
Michelangelo started work on the sculpture in the early 1500s. It was commissioned by a wealthy family for a tomb and it was specified that it be nude as a symbol of humility. A classical art mystery, the sculpture was only rumoured to exist until a scholar discovered it while performing a routine stocktake of artworks in the monastery. It was moved out of sight, and has not been seen for decades.
Apparently, Michelangelo spent two years carving the sculpture from the feet up only to abandon the piece when he discovered flaws in the white marble when he began work on the face, at which point he gave the sculpture away in exchange for a horse.
