Monday, July 23, 2007

Fresco fragment revives Papal scandal

A fresco painting by a Renaissance master which once decorated the bedroom of Pope Alexander VI in the Vatican has gone on show in Rome.

A leading Italian art historian and curator says he has documentary proof that it was once part of a much larger painting depicting the aged Pope kneeling in front of his youthful mistress, Giulia Farnese.

This is an unusual example of "damnatio memoriae" - a Latin phrase meaning "damnation of memory".

It refers to a custom dating back to antiquity - the attempted removal of a famous person from the historical record for reasons of dishonour.

Roman emperors used to order the destruction or removal of portraits or statues of disgraced members of their family.



Let's not forget that there were very few popes throughout history who were less than ideal shepherds, but then again, Jesus prepared us for this by giving us an example in the selection of Judas as one of the Twelve.

No comments: