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Michelangelo's Medici Chapel may contain hidden symbols of female anatomy

Date:
April 4, 2017
Source:
Wiley
Summary:
Michelangelo often surreptitiously inserted pagan symbols into his works of art, many of them possibly associated with anatomical representations. A new analysis suggests that Michelangelo may have concealed symbols associated with female anatomy within his famous work in the Medici Chapel.
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Michelangelo often surreptitiously inserted pagan symbols into his works of art, many of them possibly associated with anatomical representations. A new analysis suggests that Michelangelo may have concealed symbols associated with female anatomy within his famous work in the Medici Chapel.

For example, the sides of tombs in the chapel depict bull/ram skulls and horns with similarity to the uterus and fallopian tubes, respectively.

Numerous studies have offered interpretations of the link between anatomical figures and hidden symbols in works of art not only by Michelangelo but also by other Renaissance artists.

"This study provides a previously unavailable interpretation of one of Michelangelo's major works, and will certainly interest those who are passionate about the history of anatomy," said Dr. Deivis de Campos, lead author of the Clinical Anatomy article. Another recent analysis by Dr. de Campos and his colleagues revealed similar hidden symbols in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.


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Materials provided by Wiley. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Deivis de Campos, Andrea Oxley da Rocha, Rodrigo de Oliveira Lemos, Tais Malysz, João Antonio Bonatto-Costa, Geraldo Pereira Jotz, Lino Pinto de Oliveira Junior, Miriam da Costa Oliveira. Pagan symbols associated with the female anatomy in the Medici Chapel by Michelangelo Buonarroti. Clinical Anatomy, 2017; DOI: 10.1002/ca.22882

Cite This Page:

Wiley. "Michelangelo's Medici Chapel may contain hidden symbols of female anatomy." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 4 April 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170404104743.htm>.
Wiley. (2017, April 4). Michelangelo's Medici Chapel may contain hidden symbols of female anatomy. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170404104743.htm
Wiley. "Michelangelo's Medici Chapel may contain hidden symbols of female anatomy." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170404104743.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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