MICHELANGELO?

"Masterpieces are not single and solitary births; they are the outcome of many years of thinking in common, of thinking by the body of the people, so that the experience of the mass is behind the single voice." -Virginia Woolf

The Italian government's Culture of Ministry shelled out 3.3 million euros/$4.2 million dollars for a crucifix which might have been rendered by Michelangelo. Might. Such a crucifix rendered by another artist from 15th Century Florence would cost 100,000 euros/$129,700. The problem of identifying the artist could take more time, but does this mystery need to be solved? To take a risk, it could it be an inhibited understanding of art (or an uninhibited publicity stunt) that led the Italian government to pay the going rate for a Michelangelo piece for a crucifix of mysterious
origin.

I propose that one of the reasons Michelangelo was a great artist was the time and place in
which he lived and worked. Art does not occur in a vacuum. Indeed, the reasons a 15th century
artist in Florence could produce a crucifix mistaken for a Michelangelo piece is that they
were tremendous artists in their own right. Perhaps they were influenced by Michelangelo's
work. When people with a shared interest, matched skill and talent come together, they create
more than art. They create an inspiring environment. The same goes for virtually any discipline: science, math, theology, political movements, literature, and the list goes on. We
become relevant when we take part in a conversation.

Does it really matter if the crucifix is a Michelangelo piece? Perhaps. Whether or not the
crucifix is his, it speaks volumes about the talent in Michelangelo's midst. Read more about this in The New York Times.