Michelangelo's Moses - Rome's Non-Talking Statue

Those who already read the previous post about Pasquino (you can find it clicking on this link: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.com/2011/08/romes-talking-statues-1-pasquino.html), know that Rome has some "talking statues". The Eternal City, however, also has a very stubborn statue, who refused to speak at his maker's request: Michelangelo's Moses. 

There are many stories related to this masterpiece located in a rather dim corner of the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, on the Colle Oppio, the hill right opposite the Coliseum. The Basilica has this name (translating as "St. Peter in Chains") because it was built to contain a rather special relic: the chains that held St. Peter during his stay at the Mamertine Prison, located in the Forum area. 

The most interesting feature of this Basilica, however, is not the holy relic under the main altar, but a statue placed in a corner...  A masterpiece coming from two different failures, still one of the most stunning artworks available in Rome: Michelangelo's Moses.


The first failure came from the material itself: the marble block used to make this sculpture was discarded by another artists, who made a mistake in the inital phase of the making of his work, and who deemed the block no longer usable. Michalngelo picked up this block and made a real masterpiece out of it, being however forced to give the Moses a slightly unusual stance, turned towards the left, and a masterfully hidden disproportion beween the size of the two knees. 

Another failure that marked the destiny of this wonderful artwork, is that this statue was just a part of a magnificent tomb for the Pope Julius II (depicted in the upper part of the tomb), which was not completed before the Pope's death, as the great artist was deeply absorbed in other great artworks, such as the Sistine Chapel. Being too beautiful to be put is some dusty warehouse, the statue was put in the corner of this ancient Basilica. 

The reason why I called the Moses a "Non-talking statue" as opposed to the "Talking" ones like Pasquino, stems out of a legend: it is said that the great artist, upon completion of his artwork, being himself surprised by the quality and perfection of the statue, hit the Moses' knee with his hammer shouting: "Why don't you talk?!". Some claim that the mark of this hammer hit is still visible... possibly with the eyes of an art lover...


Related topic link: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.com/2011/08/moses-statue-at-largo-santa-susanna.html

The Frescoes in Villa Farnesina - A case of "Artistic Espionage"

Villa Farnesina is a wonderful building in Renaissance style, right next to the Lungotevere, on the Trastevere side (Right Bank of the Tiber). It was built by Agostino Chigi, a famous banker from the Tuscan city of Siena, who, in 1472, founded the still open bank of "Monte dei Paschi di Siena". 


This building, configured as a "Suburban Villa" as opposed to the city palace, (Palazzo Chigi) where now is the Office of the Prime Minister, is currently owned by the "Accdemia dei Lincei" Italy's National Scientific Academy, and one of the most ancient (if not the most ancient) of such Institutions in the world. The whole building is decorated with scenes from Greek and Roman Myths, with the most remarkable room being the "Loggia di Psiche".


The story has it that the decoration of such room was appointed to Raffaello Sanzio, and that Michelangelo was terribly curious to see what kind of work his "rival" was carrying out, but Raffaello set up a strong security in order not to let anyone "spy" on his work. Nevertheless, Michelangelo tried really hard, and finally managed to sneak in. 


In order to show Raffaello he managed to outsmart the security he set up, he drew, using a piece of charcoal, a young man's head in one of the blank spaces in the fresco, in the unmistakable Michelangelo's style. The following  morning, Raffaello was enraged to see his arch rival managed to see his artwork before its completion, but his anger lasted for really short time, because the Tuscan great artist's drawing was so beautiful that Raffaello didn't have the heart to have it deleted, and the drawing is still there, and can be admired at the beginning of the visit of Villa Farnesina.