Is there a link between Faith and fine writing?

Pythagorean

Quote by zoobyshoe

Get out your book of the Sistine Chapel and look at all of the paintings one by one. He puts drapery behind many of the figures for compositional purposes. The shape of this drapery is varied from one to the next. He uses the same compositional device quite a few times always varying the shape. It's easy to see why: drapery can take any shape, so you can balance any pose you like by the strategic use of all-purpose drapery. The drapery behind God and the angels in the Creation of Adam is simply one variation of a compositional device he uses several times in the ceiling. The fact it can be seen as resembling the silhouette of a brain is as significant as spotting a cloud or stain on an old wall that looks like a brain, i.e. it means nothing. As Moonbear said in another thread on this topic, she, a neuroscientist, sees brains in curled-up, sleeping cats, and in the shape of many trees.

1) it's not just the outline. The internal structure of the brain is well represented to.

2) It's not just the shapes he painted, but also that he flayed corpses to study their anatomy.

3) All it can ever be is speculation (since forthcoming would have done a lot of harm to Michelangelo) but there's a lot of evidence suggestive of Michelangelo's disdain for the commission.

All the mars face had was a shape.

Anyway, of course I don't know whether the brain was intentional on Michelangelo's part, but I don't think it's as clear-cut a case of pareidolia as you do.

zoobyshoe

Quote by Pythagorean

1) it's not just the outline. The internal structure of the brain is well represented to.

Not at all. The whole overlay you posted is forced. The actual shapes in the painting have to be blotted out to make the overlay work.

2) It's not just the shapes he painted, but also that he flayed corpses to study their anatomy.

He may have seen a human brain, but so what?

3) All it can ever be is speculation (since forthcoming would have done a lot of harm to Michelangelo) but there's a lot of evidence suggestive of Michelangelo's disdain for the commission.

It's thoroughly and incontrovertibly documented that he completely hated the job. It wasn't a commission, it was an offer he couldn't refuse. The pope sent armed men to bring him back to Rome. He was completely ticked off at the Pope, not at God. As I demonstrated earlier, he was never secular, ever in his life. He was a kind of fundamentalist/superstitious Catholic, he believed in damnation for sinners, miracles, and the very real wrath of God through floods and other natural disasters. He once left Florence in a hurry when a friend had a series of prophetic visions about the violent overthrow of the ruler of Florence if he didn't atone for his sins. These came true: de Medici was indeed, toppled from power. Michelangelo was, all his life, a true believer.

Anyway, of course I don't know whether the brain was intentional on Michelangelo's part, but I don't think it's as clear-cut a case of pareidolia as you do.

If it wasn't intentional, it wasn't a brain, just compositional drapery.

apeiron

Quote by zoobyshoe

Not at all. The whole overlay you posted is forced. The actual shapes in the painting have to be blotted out to make the overlay work.

I agree, it looks very forced. Pituitary gland way too big. Likewise ventricles. Sylvian fissure would not be visible like that in cross section. I can't see anything actually suggestive of the cerebellum. Nor corpus callosum. Vertebral artery out of scale. Optic chiasm is just weird. Etc, etc.

But certainly an amusing idea.

zoobyshoe

Quote by apeiron

I agree, it looks very forced. Pituitary gland way too big. Likewise ventricles. Sylvian fissure would not be visible like that in cross section. I can't see anything actually suggestive of the cerebellum. Nor corpus callosum. Vertebral artery out of scale. Optic chiasm is just weird. Etc, etc.

But certainly an amusing idea.

I'm not religious but: thank God! Someone who knows what a brain looks like!

*DaveC426913*

Quote by apeiron

I agree, it looks very forced. Pituitary gland way too big. Likewise ventricles. Sylvian fissure would not be visible like that in cross section. I can't see anything actually suggestive of the cerebellum. Nor corpus callosum. Vertebral artery out of scale. Optic chiasm is just weird. Etc, etc.

But certainly an amusing idea.

You must be saying this tongue-in-cheek. You're pointing out all things that are actually represented, just not represented perfectly.

That's kind of like:

Hey, that's the President of the USA, right there!
No, it's just some schlub that looks like him.
It looks a lot like him, and he's surrounded by body guards and getting into a diplomatic limo!
No, the president travels with fifteen security guards. I count only twelve; and they're probably not even with him, they're probably all just lawyers headed for the train. Also, the president rides in a Cadillac, never in a Limo. Yep. That's just a guy.

*DaveC426913*

ohhhhh, now I see it...

zoobyshoe

Quote by DaveC426913

You must be saying this tongue-in-cheek. You're pointing out all things that are actually represented, just not represented perfectly.

Dave there is no cerebellum represented in the painting, nor is there a corpus callosum. And if the painting is supposed to be the interior side of the right hemisphere it looks like everything's been infested with horrible, virulent tumors:

russ_watters

This is too silly to be worthy of PF. Locked.

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russ_watters Mentor	This is too silly to be worthy of PF. Locked.