ART HISTORY 202, SPRING 2008, PAPER ASSIGNMENT #1:

CAN THE VATICAN SAVE THE SISTINE CHAPEL?

In 1980, the Vatican began an extensive cleaning of Michelangelo’s Sistine Ceiling -- a cleaning that changed how the piece looked. Some found the colors beautiful but others found them overblown and cartoonish. Scholars at the Vatican claimed they were only removing layers of dirt and added glues, but a group of art historians, gallery owners, and artists argued that the cleaners were destroying a seminal work of art. In a 2-5 page paper, you will analyze the arguments of both sides and state which has the more compelling line of reasoning. The paper must be typed; please use a readable font like Times New Roman or Bookman Old Style in 12 point. Number the pages and be sure your last name is at the top of each page. The paper is due at the beginning of class, Thursday, February 28. Late papers will be marked down 5% per day. Please email the professor as soon as possible if you are having a problem.

Notable Figures in the video (you are not expected to use all these names; this is for reference only):

-Dr. Walter Persegati, Secretary General and Treasurer for the Vatican Museum;

-Ronald Feldman, owner of Ronald Feldman Gallery;

-George Segal, noted contemporary sculptor;

-Dr. Kathleen Wilde Garris Brandt, Renaissance Art specialist at New York University and consultant to the Vatican;

-Luigi Collalucci, Chief Restorer of the ceiling;

-Dr. James Beck, Renaissance art specialist at Columbia University;

-Alexander Elliot, journalist, art critic for Time, author of article for Harvard Magazine,

-Paul Schwartzbaum, conservator (he explains the buon fresco technique);

-Dr. Nasarino Gabrielli, chemist for the Vatican;

-Leonatto Tintori,, Florentine restorer at the J. Paul Getty Museum in California;

-Dr. Giorgio Torraca, expert on damage from pollution at the University of Rome.