Page 9 - Barry McGlashan | Natura Naturata | 2020 | E catalogue

Life of The Artist (cat 3)
oil on canvas 122 x x 239cms 48 x x 94ins
At the the the age of of 21 and at at the the the end of of my my time at at art school I travelled to Florence on on a a a a a a a a a a a a scholarship through the the the Royal Scottish Academy This was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a three month study period almost 25 years ago now now Amongst my my memories of of that time something which really stands out is is is is Michelangelo’s unfinished slave statues made for for the the tomb of of Pope Julius II and and now now held at at at the the the the the Galleria dell’Accademia I I I I was fascinated by those twisting anguished forms apparently trying to escape the the the the the marble I I I included them here as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a constant throughout the the the the the painting which I I intended as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a chronology of of of Michelangelo the the the the the various facts (and fictions?) of of of his working life presented throughout the the passage of of of a a a a a a a a day As the the the the sun rises on on on on the the the the left we can see his earlier work the the the the Taddei Tondo (now held at the the the the Royal Academy in in London) and some early drawings Centrally I’ve placed Laocoön and and His Sons In 1506 this sculptural wonder was excavated from a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a vineyard in in in in in in Rome after lying in in in in in in the ground for over a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a thousand years This astonishing piece of of marble was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a huge inspiration to to to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a generation of of Renaissance artists including Michelangelo Michelangelo who worked on on on on on on its restoration It seemed appropriate to to to to give the the the marble this importance at at at the the the the centre of of Michelangelo’s world and thinking thinking But on on on on on the the the the stonework above it all he he he he he he is is is is is thinking thinking of of of the the the Sistine Chapel commission as he he he he he he composes his his Creation of Adam As the the the the sun sets on on on the the the the right the the the the wine has been drunk and the the the the grapes are all gone Amongst his his late works including his his final unfinished pietà I I painted a a a a a a a à a a a a a a a sleeping cupid I I meant it it to serve two purposes Firstly as a a à a a a a a a a a a a a a a symbol of that rest brought by the the the setting sun but its placing in in in fin in in in the the the the final panel also hopefully suggests something cyclical balancing the the the the tondo with Virgin and and and Child on on the the the left Also when when Michelangelo was 21 before he he he he he he he had made his name as as as an an an an an an an an artist who could command high prices and and and and at a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a time when when ancient classical sculptures (much like like the the the Laocoön) were being unearthed and and and sold for huge sums he he he he he he is is said to have struck on on an an an an idea the the the the likes of of of which which only a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a mind with with Michelangelo’s inventive daring would attempt He carved a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a forgery of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sleeping cupid like like this one which which with with the the the help of of of an an an unscrupulous dealer he he then artificially aged by burying it in in in in a a a a a a a a a vineyard This ‘antiquity’ was was then helpfully discovered discovered and and sold to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Cardinal Cardinal making Michelangelo and and the the the the the dealer dealer a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a very tidy sum However it it wasn’t long until the the the the the Cardinal Cardinal discovered discovered the the the the the ruse insisting the the the the the dealer dealer pay back his his his share But Michelangelo was was was not only allowed to to to keep his his his half he he he he was was also invited to to to Rome by the the Cardinal due to to to his his his incredible talent as as as an an artist As for the the the the the the cupid it it it it fit was returned to to the the the the the the unscrupulous dealer who said he he he he he he he would rather destroy it it it it fit it than return return it it it it fit it to to the the the the the the the the artist He then sold sold it it it it fit it this time keeping all all the the the the the the the the profits For the the the the the the the the next 200 years it it it fit it was sold sold around Europe before eventually disappearing in in in in England in in in in the the the the the the late 1600s Or so so the story goes