Top Notch Art

Over time, painters who did ceilings have set the bar for our 3D painters of today. We all know the half truths about Michelangelo who actually did not spend all that time that the movie showed, painting on his back. He stood. He did have a crick in his neck, however, from doing it up straight in order to accomplish the gorgeous Sistine Chapel ceiling. In the days of yore, wanting to impress their rich dinner party guests, the like-rich had their already high ceilings look even more lofty and domed in hiring the brushes of artists who would create an impression. We have  sidewalk trickster artists today, who make us step aside the chasms  right in the middle of the cement. Doing high ceilings is called di sotto in su to be exact, and it is still being accomplished today but sadly, rarely. Rubens of old, was a bit smarter and had his ceiling art done in the studio and then applied it later to ceilings. He saved his neck. When we chance to visit, not just the Sistine Chapel, which we can stay to admire  for only a short period, we must  remember that almost all great castles and villas and palaces needed in their cold venues something memorable. They made their visitors feel spiritual seeing angels and dragons and horses that fly and the ever present little bewinged babies that gave them sense of being heaven bound. To see these works feels you enter a fantasy come true. It's a pity that beds weren't installed then because you can hold your head up for only a short time.  Anything more, is painful and dizzying. These days, we slap on bumpy or smooth plaster, paint it white and call it a day. No one is much interested in looking at ceilings. Why? They're all too busy admiring the weird padded stuff down below. There isn't much to admire  and you will never see anything out of place such as a tossed sweater, half downed cookie or sneakers peeking out from under the couch. But kudos to Chagall who did the Paris Opera House and Tiepo who did the largest number of them, not forgetting  Pozzo who was the first to make ceilings look domed when they really weren't.  Ah, before sleep, to have a ceiling as lovely above one's bed!