Michelangelo's rebirth of Adam. "The Creation of Adam": a view from the point of view of neuroscience

“Everyone hopes that in his hands even a cobblestone will turn into pure gold.” A vain dream!

- But I have no other dream! - Michelangelo exclaimed. He turned to his father: “Deprive me of art, and there will be nothing left in me, I will be empty, like a rotten nut.”

You don't have to go to the Vatican to see the interior of the Sistine Chapel. You can fulfill your old dream thanks to a visit to ARTPLAY and a virtual excursion to the Sistine Chapel, where you can see the frescoes of Michelangelo Buonarotti. At this exhibition, you can learn about the High Renaissance in an hour, from the comfort of your ottoman. The exhibition is mainly devoted to the painting of the Sistine Chapel: the ceiling and the altar wall, which is one of the finest examples of the pinnacle of the Renaissance.

Jacopo del Conte. "Portrait of Michelangelo." Source: www.artita.ru

Michelangelo Buonarotti (1475 - 1564) dreamed of becoming a sculptor since childhood, and his creative path started early adolescence in Florence. All his life he felt more like a sculptor or stonemason than a painter. Not that the father was delighted with this idea, but his son's drawing on school lessons led to the fact that Michelangelo, at the age of 12, came to the workshop of D. Ghirlandaio (a famous Florentine artist who painted frescoes). If you turn to the novel “Torment and Joy” about the biography of Michelangelo, you can see the following reaction of the father to the actions of his son: “Do you really think that I will allow you to ruin your life and become an artist? Disgrace our family? After all, in three hundred years, not a single Buonarroti has come to the point of earning his bread with his own hands.” In fact, the Buonarotti family was noble, although not rich. In a workshop young artist helps with the production of materials for covering the ceiling, paints tirelessly, but at the same time understands that frescoes are not his lifelong dream. There he learns the basic principle according to which he must be able to prepare both the surface for coating and paint, and at the same time, draw well. Otherwise, it will be impossible to tell the apprentices what is required of them. One day he learns that young sculptors are being trained in the Medici gardens and wants to go there. As fate would have it, Lorenzo the Magnificent Medici asks Ghirlandaio about best students, which could go into his gardens. The master named Michelangelo reluctantly because he did not want to give away such a capable student. But nevertheless it happened.

Separation of light from darkness

Michelangelo did not like the fact that he did not immediately begin to cut stone (this craft was entrusted to him a year later). This happened because Lorenzo the Magnificent and Bertoldo di Giovanni (Italian sculptor appointed curator of ancient sculptures and head of sculpture education - author's note a) wanted him to learn more. One of the first sculptural works was a Faun, copied from one of the ancient sculptures. Lorenzo de' Medici appreciated the sculptor's skill because after his remark that the elderly faun could not keep his teeth, Michelangelo removed them. Thanks to this step, Lorenzo invited the young sculptor to his palace.

Creation of the sun, moon and planets

Despite the fact that Michelangelo is one of the titans High Renaissance(cinquecento), he spent his entire life not as a court artist in luxury and recognition, but rather as a wanderer. He had to fulfill various orders for painting, sculpture, and architecture, which he did until his death. Among the regular customers were noble families and fathers, whose rapid change meant it was not always possible to complete orders, because they obliged to deal with current ones. The popes wanted their name to become immortal through commissions of works of art.

Separation of land from waters

It was Michelangelo who returned sculpture to the right to be called one of the forms of art, because before that sculpture was compared to simple stone cutting. Of course, in the 15th century there lived talented sculptors who created sculptures that were strikingly different from the medieval ones in their resemblance to reality. It would have been enough for Michelangelo to have been born forty years earlier - “...then he could have studied under the guidance of Ghiberti - or thirty to become a student of Donatello; had he been born twelve, ten or five years earlier, he would have been taught marble work by the brothers Pollaiuolo, Verrocchio or Luca della Robbia.” In his sculptures, he emphasized the material from which it was made, leaving some fragments (for example, pedestals) unhewn. Sculpting the sculpture required a lot physical labor and excerpts, but this only inspired the sculptor to work. Hard labour did not stop him from working even at the end of his days.

Creation of Adam

“Sculpting a sculpture required a lot of physical labor and endurance, but this only inspired the sculptor to work. Hard work did not stop him from working even at the end of his days.”

His achievements lie, firstly, in his virtuosic sculpting technique, so that the sculpture seems to take a breath of air, get up and walk. Secondly, the artist identified plots in the flow of ideas, which he reinterpreted and showed in a different light. One such example is the Pieta (Lamentation of Christ), installed in St. Peter's Church without a grand opening. This sculpture shows the end of Christ's life: his dead body lies in the arms of his mother, who is depicted young even after 33 years. This is the only sculpture that bears the master's signature "Michelangelo Buonarotti, Florentine, created this", according to legend, placed after an overheard conversation between two Lombardians and their thoughts that it was sculpted by Gobbo from Milan.

Creation of Eve

Another example is David, which differs significantly from the David of Verrocchio and Donatello not only in the size of the statue, but also in the material, in the emotions that the shepherd David experiences before the battle with Goliath. Moreover, they depicted David after the battle with Goliath, in contrast to Michelangelo, who depicted him before the battle. Only a man, not a teenager, could take such a serious step; this decision alone makes David more mature and courageous. The Florentines highly appreciated this work of art and installed it in the square in front of the Palazzo della Signoria (now Palazzo Vecchio), where religious and social events, although it was initially assumed that David would decorate the main Florentine cathedral - Santa Maria del Fiore. By the way, the Florentines believed that David personified Florence: a small city resists various threats while maintaining independence.

David. Source: jaimetrabuchelli.com

Michelangelo considered the tomb of Julius II, which should have contained about forty marble figures arranged on three tiers in the church, his life's work. Unfortunately, the idea was not destined to be fully realized because dad decided that it was too expensive and long-term project. From the plan we managed to make a sculpture of Moses, several slaves, and the figure of Julius himself. Pope Julius II switched the artist's attention from the tomb to painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Central location On the ceiling of the chapel there are three semantic triads from the Old Testament:

• about the creation of the world: “The separation of light from darkness”, “The creation of the sun, moon and planets”, “The separation of the earth from the waters”. Interestingly, the color reddish-purple was used instead of ultramarine robes due to the insufficient budget allocated by Julius II.
• about the creation of the first people and sin: “The Creation of Adam”, “The Creation of Eve”, “Expulsion from Paradise”.
• cycle about Noah: “The Drunkenness of Noah”, “The Flood”, “The Sacrifice of Noah”.

Temptation of Eve by the Serpent and Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise

Over the course of 4 years, he paid with his health, as he had to work on scaffolding while lying on his back. He started working with the last triad. There you can see a multi-figure composition. After completing the three frescoes, the artist convinced the Pope to remove the scaffolding and see what happened. As a result, Michelangelo saw that the accumulation of figures complicates perception, so the other two triads differ significantly from the first in the number of people and color. Body proportions, emotions, painting techniques are at their best.

Noah's drunkenness

Michelangelo loved to sketch peasants because they had muscular and wiry bodies. According to the artist, the male body was more perfect compared to the female. For the sake of mastering proportions, Michelangelo did not disdain dissecting corpses in order to study in detail the structure of the body, muscles, internal organs. And even the death penalty for such acts did not stop him, as did Leonardo da Vinci. The artist returns to the chapel twenty-five years later to paint another grandiose creation - the Last Judgment, located on the altar wall.

“And in the same way follows the creation of Adam with the image of God leaning on a group of naked angels of tender age, who seem to carry not only one figure, but the whole weight of the world, which is shown by the greatest awe of the Lord’s majesty and the nature of his movement: with one hand he embraces angels, as if leaning on them, but he extends his right hand to Adam, painted so beautifully, in such a position, with such outlines that it seems as if he was created again by his highest and original creator, and not by a brush and according to the plan of man." Vasari.

One of the most beautiful images murals of the Sistine Chapel - the first man Adam awakening to life. This is an athletically built young man with a limply outstretched hand, into which the mighty hand of the creator seems to pour vital energy. Courageous and beautiful, with his thoughts not yet awakened and his strength not yet revealed, he lies on the slope of a hill, stretching out his hands to the God who created him. An angel looks over God's shoulder, amazed at the beauty of man. Adam's ideal youthful beauty seems to be developed in the images of naked young men - decorative figures framing small fields. In them Michelangelo shows inner life a person through the various movements of a beautiful naked body. With great skill he introduces decorative motif oak leaves (a symbolic allusion to the della Rovere family, translated from Italian as “oak”, Pope Julius II came from this family), woven into garlands and decorating the shields of young men, a cornucopia with oak leaves and the young man holds the acorns in his hands, placing them at Adam’s thigh.

Along with "La Gioconda" by Leonardo da Vince, this is one of famous images in the world, since the second half of the 20th century. became worldwide symbol. Man, as the most beautiful of God's creations, created in the image and likeness of the Lord, is one of the best incarnations human image era of humanism. It is believed that in the frescoes of Sistine, Michelangelo left many secret allegories, for example, the mantle covering God and the angels supporting him resembles the outline of the human brain. It is known that Michelangelo secretly dissected corpses during his studies in order to thoroughly study physiology; it is quite possible that he knew what the brain looked like.

On the ceiling of Sistine is the birth of the first man, the creation of Adam by God. The leading art critic V.N. Lazarev gives a very accurate description of Michelangelo’s masterpiece: “This is perhaps the most beautiful composition of the entire painting. Starting from the Biblical text, the artist gives it a completely new interpretation. God the Father flies through endless space, surrounded by angels. Behind him flutters a huge cloak, inflated like a sail, allowing all the figures to be covered in a closed silhouette line. The smooth flight of the creator is emphasized by calmly crossed legs. His right hand, which gives life to inanimate matter, is extended. She almost touches Adam's hand, whose body lying on the ground gradually begins to move. These two hands, between which an electric spark seems to run, leave an unforgettable impression. At this point, all the internal pathos of the image, all its dynamics, are concentrated. By placing the figure of Adam on a sloping surface, the artist creates the illusion for the viewer that the figure rests on the very edge of the earth, beyond which the infinite world space begins. And therefore, these two hands outstretched towards each other, symbolizing the earthly world and the astral world, are doubly expressive. And here Michelangelo makes excellent use of the gap between the figures, without which there would be no feeling of limitless space. In the image of Adam, the artist embodied his ideal male body, well developed, strong and at the same time flexible. I was right German painter Cornelius, who asserted that since the time of Phidias no more perfect figure had been created.".

Look at the figure of Adam awakening to life. She is still helpless, submissive, as if weak-willed, and yet one feels that there is a tremendous power within her, which is just waiting for the opportunity to unfold in all its glory.

And what a beauty is Adam’s face with his eyes directed towards God, in which there is the same call and the same expectation as in his hand! As Lazarev notes, God the Father is like a sculptor extracting a figure from a chaotic block of stone.

“And God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27.

“And the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7.

Famous paintings and hidden codes hidden in them:

1. Mona Lisa: the real hidden code in her eyes

The intrigue usually lies in her mysterious smile. However, when examining the painting under a microscope, historians in Italy discovered that when they pointed a magnifying glass at the Mona Lisa's eyes, tiny numbers and letters could be seen.

Experts say the subtle letters and numbers are something out of The Da Vinci Code real life: In the right eye, the letters LV can be discerned, which may well represent his name, Leonardo Da Vinci, while in the left eye, there are also symbols, but they are not as clearly distinguishable. Of course, it is very difficult to identify them exactly, but they appear to be the Latin letters CE, or E may actually be the letter B. On the arch of the bridge, visible in the background, you can see the number 72, or Latin letter L and the number 2. Additionally, the number 149, with the fourth number erased, is on the back of the painting, suggesting that da Vinci painted it while he was in Milan in the 1490s.

It should be taken into account that this painting is almost 500 years old, so it is no longer as crisp and clear as when it was created.

2. Last Supper: Math and astrology puzzle, plus secret notes

The Last Supper has also been the subject of many hypotheses, mainly regarding the supposed hidden messages or hints that are present in the painting.

Information technologist Slavisa Pesci created an interesting visual effect by overlaying translucent, mirror reflection paintings on top of the original. As a result, two figures appear at either end of the table who appear to be Templars, while a person, perhaps a woman with a baby, stands to the left of Jesus.

Italian musician Giovanni Maria Pala also pointed out that the positions of the hands and loaves of bread can be interpreted as notes on stave, and if read from right to left, as was characteristic of Leonardo's writing method, they amount to musical composition.

Vatican researcher Sabrina Sforza Galitzia says she has deciphered the mathematical and astrological puzzle in Leonardo's painting The Last Supper. She said he foresaw the end of the world in a "global flood" that would begin on March 21, 4006, and end on November 1 of that year. She believed that this flood would mark "a new start for humanity."

3. Creation of Adam: Floating Brain Deity

Michelangelo's painting entitled "The Creation of Adam" is not only the known part The Sistine Chapel, but also one of the few legendary images of humanity.

Michelangelo is considered one of the greatest artists and sculptors of the Italian Renaissance. However, not everyone knows the fact that he was very interested in anatomy and at the age of 17 he began to dissect corpses, which he took from the church cemetery.

A pair of American experts in neuroanatomy believe that Michelangelo actually left some anatomical illustrations in one of his most famous works- Sistine Chapel.

While some may consider this a coincidence, experts suggest it is more difficult to explain that the anatomical context was not in Michelangelo's painting. Even complex components of the brain can be found in the painting, such as the cerebellum, optic nerves and pituitary gland. As for the striking green ribbon running along the pons/spine/man who supports God, it perfectly matches the location of the vertebral artery.

4. Sistine Chapel: another image of the human brain, but from below

As in the case of the masterpiece "The Creation of Adam", according to experts, on the panels of the Sistine Chapel there is another figure of God with secret code.

They noticed that the throat and chest of the God in the painting were depicted with anatomical inconsistencies not found in any other figure in the fresco. Additionally, while the light falls on the other figures diagonally from the lower left corner, the God's neck is illuminated by direct light. They concluded that it looked awkward and must be the deliberate work of genius.

By superimposing a strange image of God's neck onto a photograph of a human brain below, they showed how exactly the two images matched. They added that the strange bolt of fabric that extends to the center of God's robe could be a representation of the human spinal cord.

The lumpy neck in God's image (A) corresponds to a photograph of a human brain as seen from below (B), and (C) shows various parts of the brain apparently hidden in the painting.

Scientists say Michelangelo also depicted other anatomical features elsewhere in the ceiling, notably a kidney, which was a familiar sight to Michelangelo and was of particular interest to him because he suffered from kidney stones.

5. Madonna with Saint Giovannino: UFO sightings

In addition to drawing our attention to the rock-hard muscles of the Baby Jesus, Domenico Ghirlandaio's Madonna with Saint Giovannino also features an interesting little drop floating in the sky above Mary's left shoulder.

Above Mary's left shoulder is a disc-shaped object that appears to sparkle. The artist depicted this object in great detail so that it was clearly visible in his work of art. On the right side of the picture there is a man holding right hand above the eyes, indicating that this object was very bright, and in the upper left corner there is an object similar to the sun.

"Madonna with Saint Giovannino" by Domenico Ghirlandaio is just one of many medieval paintings that depict strange, frightening unidentified flying objects.

6. Zechariah (Prophet) (Prophet Zechariah): Insulting a religious authority figure

The disagreements between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo have been well documented. Historians note that Michelangelo painted a portrait of the pope as the prophet Zechariah, and that one of the angels located behind him shows him an extremely obscene gesture.

Charming Small child shows a fig, and this is not a sweet fruit, it is a real finger fig and its meaning is not nearly as sweet as the fruit of the same name. Thrusting thumb hands between the index and middle fingers, he makes a gesture that in the old world was practically the equivalent of showing the middle finger in our days.

7. David and Goliath: mystical signs of Kabbalah


Scanning the arrangement of figures on the huge ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, an area of ​​1300 square meters, the authors found shapes that correspond to Hebrew letters.

For example, the figures of David and Goliath form the shape of the letter "gimel", which symbolizes "strength" in the mystical tradition of Kabbalah.

The authors believe that Michelangelo gained knowledge of Judaism while he was at the court of Lorenzo de Medici in Florence, and the entire Sistine Chapel, which is supposedly built in the same proportions as the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, is a “lost mystical a message of universal love” that had to be deciphered.

8. “Flemish Proverbs”: the plot of the picture contains 112 Dutch idioms


"Flemish Proverbs" is an oil painting on oak panel dated 1559. Its author is Pieter Bruegel the Elder, who depicted a land inhabited by literal images of Dutch proverbs of those days.

The painting contains approximately 112 recognizable idioms. Some of them are still used today, for example, such as: “swim against the current”, “banging your head against the wall”, “armed to the teeth” and “big fish eat little fish”.

Other proverbs reflect human stupidity. Some of the figures appear to represent more than one figurative expression, such as the man shearing a sheep to the left of center at the bottom of the painting. He sits next to a man who is slaughtering a pig, which represents the expression "someone shears sheep and someone slaughters pigs." This expression means that one person has an advantage over another, but it can also represent the admonition to "cut 'em, but don't skin 'em," that is, make the most of your savings, but don't blow them completely.

9. Supper at Emmaus: Recognizing the Law of Silence for Christians


“Supper at Emmaus” is a painting painted by the artist Caravaggio in the Italian Baroque style.

The painting depicts the moment when the resurrected, but unrecognized Jesus, shows himself to two of his disciples in the city of Emmaus, and then disappears from sight.

The painting is unusual because of the life-size figures and the dark, empty background. There is a basket of food on the table, which is balanced precariously on the edge of the table. There is also a striking shadow in the painting, resembling a fish in outline, which may indicate the recognition of the law of silence for Christians.

10. Portrait of young Mozart (Young Mozart's Portrait): signs of the Freemasons

Of course, artwork could not help but touch upon Freemasonry. Portraits of people who hide their hand can indicate dedication to a cause or level in the hierarchy. An example of such portraits is this anonymous portrait of Mozart (possibly painted by the artist Antonio Lorenzoni).

Works of art can carry a certain hidden meaning, which can sometimes be deciphered. We offer you a selection of ten masterpieces of painting in which secret signs were found.

1. "Mona Lisa": there is a hidden code in her eyes

As a rule, the power of the Mona Lisa is attributed to the intriguing smile depicted on the woman’s face. However, historians from Italy have discovered that if you look at Gioconda's eyes under a microscope, you can see letters and numbers in them.

Experts say these subtle numbers and letters represent something like the "Da Vinci Code" in real life: the letters "LV" are visible in the right eye, which could very well represent the name of the artist, Leonardo da Vinci, and there are symbols in the left eye too , but they have not yet been identified. It is very difficult to see them clearly, but most likely they are either the letters "CE" or the letter "B".

In the arch of the bridge in the background you can see the number 72, or it could be the letter "L" and two. In addition, the painting shows the number 149 with the four erased, which may indicate the date of creation of the painting - da Vinci painted it during his stay in Milan in the 1490s.

It is important to remember that the painting is almost 500 years old, so the hidden signs are not visible as clearly and clearly as they might have been immediately after its creation.

2. “The Last Supper”: hidden in the picture are mathematical and astrological puzzles and a musical melody

« last supper"is the subject of much speculation, usually centered on supposed hidden messages and hints encrypted in the painting.

Slavisa Pesci, an information technologist, achieved an interesting visual effect by superimposing a mirrored, translucent version of the painting on top of the original. As a result, two Templar-like figures appeared at both ends of the table, and another person became visible to the left of Jesus - possibly a woman holding a baby in her arms.

Italian musician Giovanni Maria Pala pointed out that the position of the hands and bread can be interpreted as notes in piece of music, and if read from right to left, as was typical of Leonardo’s writing style, then they form a musical composition.

Vatican researcher Sabrina Sforza Galizia says she has deciphered the "mathematical and astrological" puzzle contained in The Last Supper. According to her, the artist predicted global flood and the coming end of the world, which will begin on March 21, 4006 and end on November 1 of the same year - she believes that this will be the beginning new era for humanity.

3. “The Creation of Adam”: the divine origin of intelligence

Michelangelo's "Creation of Adam" has stood the test of time not only as the most famous fresco of the Sistine Chapel, but also as one of the most iconic images in human history.

Michelangelo is recognized as one of the greatest artists and sculptors of the era Italian Renaissance, however, it is not so widely known that he carefully studied anatomy and, at the age of 17, dismembered corpses dug up in a church cemetery.

American neuroanatomy experts believe that Michelangelo actually used some anatomical knowledge when working on the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.

Although some may consider this a coincidence, experts suggest that Michelangelo could not have painted such a thing by accident: in the fresco you can even see the outlines of such complex parts of the brain as the cerebellum, optic nerve and pituitary gland. And in the very figure of Adam, stretching out his hand to God, one can see the outlines of the pons and spine.

4. Sistine Chapel frescoes: some of them show parts of the human brain

As with the Creation of Adam, among the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel there is another painting of the figure of God containing a secret message.

Experts have noticed that God's chest and neck have anatomical irregularities that no other human figure in the paintings has. In addition, while most of the figures are illuminated diagonally from the lower left edge, the sun's rays fall on God's neck at a right angle - the researchers came to the conclusion that the genius made such an inaccuracy intentionally.

If we superimpose the image of God's strange neck on a photograph of a human brain, it becomes clear that the contours of both images are almost exactly the same, and the strange rectangle of tissue extending to the center of God's robe may symbolize the spinal cord.

Michelangelo also depicted other anatomical features in some places on the ceiling, particularly the kidney, which was of particular interest to Michelangelo because the artist suffered from kidney stones.

5. “Madonna with Saint Giovannino”: UFO traces

“Madonna with Saint Giovannino” by Domenico Ghirlandaio has an interesting detail: a strangely shaped drop is floating in the sky above Mary’s left shoulder.

In this place of the picture, a board-shaped object, possibly shiny, is clearly visible - the artist depicted this object before the smallest details, trying to place it in your work so that it catches your eye. Additionally, on the right side of the painting we see a man raising his right hand to his eyes, showing how bright this object is, and in the upper left corner we see an object that looks like the sun.

Madonna with Saint Giovannino is just one of many medieval paintings that depict strange, disturbing unidentified flying objects hovering in the skies.

6. “The Prophet Zechariah”: the power of religion

The tension between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo is described in historical documents. Historians note that Michelangelo depicted the pope in one of his paintings as the prophet Zechariah, and one of the angels behind him shows an extremely obscene gesture.

The shape in which the fingers of the lovely little child are folded is called a "fig", but its meaning is not at all as sweet as the name: holding the thumb between the index and middle fingers, it shows an old world gesture that has retained its meaning to this day. In the West, the gesture is not so common, but in Russia its meaning is well known.

7. “David and Goliath”: mystical signs of Kabbalah

Analyzing the arrangement of figures on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which covers an area of ​​1,300 km², scientists have discovered shapes similar to Hebrew letters: for example, the figures of David and Goliath form the letter “gimel”, symbolizing “strength” in the mystical tradition of Kabbalah.

Researchers believe that Michelangelo was introduced to Judaism while at the court of Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence, and the entire Sistine Chapel, perhaps built to the same proportions as the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, is a "lost mystical message of universal love" intended for decryption.

8. “Flemish Proverbs”: the film contains 112 Dutch idioms

Flemish Proverbs is an oil on oak panel painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, filled with symbols relating to Dutch proverbs of the time.

A total of 112 idioms were found and deciphered in the picture: some of them are still used, for example, “swim against the tide”, “ big fish eats small fish,” “banging your head against the wall,” and “arming yourself to the teeth.”

Other proverbs point to human stupidity. Some symbols seem to convey the meaning of more than one figure of speech, for example, the man shearing sheep to the left of center at the bottom of the picture sits next to a man slaughtering a pig, and this scene symbolizes the expression "Someone is shearing sheep, and someone else is - pigs,” which means that one person has an advantage over others. The scene can also mean “Cut, but don’t skin,” that is, it warns not to go too far when using your abilities.

9. “Supper at Emmaus”: Christian vow of silence

"Supper at Emmaus" - painting by Caravaggio, Italian artist Baroque era. The painting depicts the moment when the resurrected Jesus is incognito in the city of Emmaus, but meets two of his disciples there and breaks bread with them, after which they recognize him.

The picture is unusual in that the figures of people are depicted on a dark empty background in life-size, and at the very edge of the table there is a basket of food, which seems about to fall. There is also a strange shadow, similar to the silhouette of a fish, which may indicate a vow of silence as obligatory for Christians.

10. “Portrait of Young Mozart”: signs of the Masons

Of course, works of art have not avoided the theme of Freemasonry: portraits of people hiding their hands can indicate dedication to a cause or level of hierarchy. An example is the portrait of Mozart painted by Antonio Lorenzoni.

The painting of the Sistine Chapel by the great Michelangelo Buanorotti in the Sistine Chapel is, of course, first and foremost an outstanding work of art. Including the fresco “The Creation of Adam” with two main characters: God the Father and the newly created Adam.

This fresco was created in 1511 (or thereabouts). It became the fourth of nine central compositions of the ceiling Sistine Chapel, dedicated to nine stories from the book of Genesis of the Old Testament.

Let's remember the line related to this fresco:

And God created man in His own image

(Gen. 1:27)
However, this is not entirely accurate. In a good way, here man has already been created, and therefore new nuances appear in the interpretation of the fresco.

It is very likely that there is a third in the plot of this work of art. main character, and it has direct relevance to neuroscience and neuroscience. Dr. Frank Lynn Meshberger, a gynecologist at St. John in Anderson, Indiana, in an article published in 1990 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, An Interpretation of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam Based on Neuroanatomy, believes that this hero is the human brain.

Indeed, all the works of Michelangelo in the field visual arts- both painting and sculpture speak of the master’s excellent knowledge of human anatomy. Just remember the amazing work human body in "David". Even in his Lives of Artists, Michelangelo's contemporary and colleague Giorgio Vasari recalls that the artist often observed autopsies. This is what made it possible for Meshberger to suggest the presence of some hidden message in this fresco.

Here's what he writes himself:

The Creation of Adam fresco shows Adam and God moving towards each other, their hands outstretched, their fingers almost touching. One can imagine the “spark of life” jumping from God to Adam through the “synapse” between the index fingers. However, Adam is already alive, his eyes are open, and he is fully formed; but nevertheless, the picture tells us that Adam “receives” something from God. I believe there is a third "protagonist" in the fresco that has not previously been recognized. I will try to show using anatomical drawings by Frank Netter from The CIBA Collection of Medical Illustrations, Volume I - The Nervous System.

Let's follow Meshberger's thought.

Here are four drawings, numbered 1 to 4:

As you can see, the first and second drawings are very similar, as are the third and fourth. Numbers 1 and 3 are drawings from Frank Netter's atlas of neuroanatomy.

Figure 6 (numbered according to the cited article) shows the left lateral surface brain and the sulci and convolutions that are present in the hemispheres. The Sylvian fissure, or lateral fissure, is a fissure that separates the hemispheres of the brain. Figure 1 - outline this illustration.

Figure 8 is a cross-section of the brain and spinal cord shown in Figure 7. Figure 3 is obtained from Figure 8 by removing the cerebellum and midbrain structures, as well as “bending” the spinal cord back from the “standard” anatomical position.

And now - surprise! Figures 2 and 4 are drawn... from the image of God and angels in Michelangelo's fresco. Figure 2 is obtained by drawing the outer “shell” and grooves, and Figure 4 is the outer “shell” and large lines on the figures of God and angels.

Don't believe me? See:

Thus, Meshberger believes that main meaning the frescoes are not the creation of Adam as such, but the endowment of him with reason, so that he “would be able to plan the best and highest” and “try to achieve everything.”