In our Cooperative we have learned some inspiring things about Leonardo DaVinci and about ourselves. Now we’re moving on to….the Sistine Chapel, David, the Pieta and more. Today we pulled out the paintbrushes and plaster to see the difficulties that Michelangelo faced as he painted a ceiling – a huge ceiling!
We started by mixing some plaster and water to a “pancake batter” consistency and then we spread it, very thin, on to a paper plate. It was tricky to get the detail we were looking for AND to get our paintings done before the plaster dried, but we certainly gave it some good effort.
We also decided to try our hand at sculpting after looking at some of Michelangelo’s extraordinary statues. Just a few years ago I stood in front of his pieta at the Vatican. It is breathtaking and pictures certainly do not show it’s complete beauty. It fact it is not just in seeing it, but in the feeling of it – standing before something so exquisite invokes emotion that is nearly impossible to express. If you haven’t already, I hope you also get the chance to experience it for yourselves.
As we took turns carving into the plaster we tried to imagine what it would be like to chisel away at a block of marble. We contemplated Michelangelo’s words, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” We caught a glimpse of what a master he was. We’re no Michelangelo, YET, but we did learn a lot today!