Dante and Virgil on a Hellish boat ride

La Barque de Dante. Eugene Delacroix. 1822. The Louvre

Great works of art or literature often share a truly special feature - they tie together ideas, people and places spanning many eras and summate them in manner that not only makes them relevant for the audience it was created  for, but resonates just as strongly through time. This can be easily said for the works of Homer, or Shakespeare - maintaining as strong a presence in modern scholarship and popular media.

The Commedia, by Florentine writer Dante Alighieri is believed to have been written between 1308-1312 CE. It was later given the nickname Divina by Florentine writer Boccacio, and has since become commonly known as The Divine Comedy.

The Commedia  is a seminal work at levels reaching far  beyond the Medieval audience which originally received it, and is considered one of the most important works of Western Literature. The image below was  painted by Early Renaissance artist Domenico Di Michelino and depicts Dante and the Three Kingdoms(1465). These kingdoms are Mt. Purgatory(in the middle of course!), Hell on the left and the 'Heavenly City' on the right. In this instance - this magical city happens to be Florence - as evidenced by the famous Dome built by Brunelleschi. It is interesting to note that the dome pictured actually did not exist in Dante's day.

Countless theologians, scholars and artists have spent quite a lot of their energy analysing, illustrating and postulating on the significance of the Commedia and its detailed religious symbolism - with Dante essentially providing a roadmap for Heaven and Hell, allowing one to reference what punishment awaits certain behaviours, and who you are likely to find yourself in company with.

Dante's work is also interesting to consider as an historical document. What drives someone to write such a work? In Dante's case, it is not a case of blind religious fervour, but instead the grave subject matter was chosen to showcase the capabilities of a language which Dante believed to be ready for mainstream use - Italian.

It needs to be mentioned that the political makeup of Italy in the Middle Ages and Renaissance eras was different to the unified Italy that we now know. Although the landmass has been called Italia (denoting its Southern position in Europe) since Antiquity, post-Roman Italy became divided into many separate Kingdoms or City States. Florence was one of the more prominent of these - and it was with Florence that Dante had a strong personal and  political connection. Due to his involvement in various political intrigues, Dante spent much of his later life exiled from Florence, and to this day his remains are located in Ravenna. Despite appeals from from later rulers of Florence to have the remains returned, Ravenna refused, and hence there they stay.

An 18th Century tomb for Dante's remains at Ravenna. It contains the inscription parvi Florentia mater amoris "Florence, mother of little love" denoting the bitterness of Dante's exile from his beloved city.

The religious and political connotations of the Commedia often make it difficult to view it as an historical document. Like other texts strongly associated with spiritual subject matter, it takes on an aura that makes dicussing it as an historical document difficult. To those uninterested in the sinners, the map of Hell and the lamentations, it is perhaps more interesting to know that the Commedia did two very interesting things. Firstly, it established the Italian language, and secondly,  rejuvenated the career and international profile of Roman poet Virgil.  It could easily be argued that Dante paved the way for the renewed embrace of the great writers of Antiquity that characterised the Renaissance. Even in Dante's roadmap of the afterlife, Socrates, Homer, Plato Virgil and his contemporaries are not condemned for being non Christian, but given a cushy spot in Limbo replete with forests and a castle. It is stated that they cannot be wronged for being born at a time when they could not be aware of Christ, and are instead exempt from punishment by the strength of their virtuous actions.

Dante visits some of the honourable pagans, living peacefully in Purgatory

Virgil himself lived during one of the most tumultuous periods in History, bearing witness to the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire - first under Julius Caesar and then under his great nephew and adopted son - Augustus. Virgil's most famous work, the Aeneid (29-19 BCE), whilst being a precious remnant of classical literature, was at it most basic level  a propaganda tool celebrating the divine origins of the ruling family of the time. The Aeneid is an epic story, which attempts to draw a direct hereditary link from the Caesars to Romulus(the founder of Rome) and even further back to Aeneas, a hero of Troy forced to flee his beloved city after its destruction by the Greeks. It was believed that Aeneas mother was goddess of love and beauty Venus(aka Aphrodite), whom had an earthly affair with Aeneas father.

Federico Barocci. Aeneas Flight from from Troy. 1598. Galleria Borghese, Rome

The Romans were quite proud of this divine heritage, and it was prominently displayed in public artworks and literature such as the Aeneid. The most famous of all Roman statues, The Augustus of Prima Porta once dotted the empire during the reign of Augustus. The dashing figure of Augustus has at his feet Cupid riding a dolphin. With Cupid being another son of Venus/Aphrodite, this was another direct reference to this claimed divine heritage. This devotion extended beyond a public image ploy however, as the Imperial treasury put vast sums into building projects honouring the Goddess, such as the city of Afrodisias(in modern day Turkey) and the rebuilding of Paphos in Cyprus following an earthquake. During this period, Paphos was renamed Augusta, further affirming the Emperor's reverence of the birthplace of his divine ancestor.

Petra To Romiou, or Aphrodite's Rock in Southern Cyprus, not far from Paphos/Augusta. As described in Greek (and Roman) mythology, this was believed to be the birthplace of the famous goddess of love and beauty. In present day, this Island is inhabited by a Greek and Turkish population - each of whom refer to the island by an ancient name of the Goddess, Kypris.

Augustus of Prima Porta was unearthed in 1863 and can be viewed at the Vatican Museum in Rome.

The Temple of Aphrodite at Aphdrodisias. During the reign of Augustus, Aphrodisias became famous as one of the most beautiful cities in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire.

The earliest existing manuscripts of the Aeneid are from the 5th Century CE.  From accounts by other Roman writers, such as Suetonius The Lives of The Twelve Caesars, we are told that on his death bed, Virgil ordered his work to be put into the fire. Luckily for scholars of Latin poetry and students of History, it was saved from this fate. Whatever the the political motivations of the Aeneid were, it remains an important example of Latin poetry and a 'ripping yarn' at many levels, with melodrama, political intrigue and many epic battles.

 

Jean-Joseph Taillasson's Virgil reading the Aeneid to Augustus and Octavia painted in 1787. It depicts a scene described in Aelius Donatus' 4th Century Biography(Vita) of Virgil. A scene in the Aeneid describes the ghost of Marcellus, Augustus dead nephew. It was said that Marcellus' mother Octavia fainted during a reading of this.

Despite its prevalent Pagan themes and rituals, Virgil's Aeneid was held in deep regard during the middle ages. There are several good reasons for this - scholars and historians were interested in the work as an example of Latin Poetry and as an historical document. The people of Rome, and Italy itself felt a bond to the work, it describing the origins of the great city and the ordeals of their Trojan and Etruscan ancestors. Furthermore, the Roman Catholic Church could not bring itself to have the work outlawed because of the Christian-like themes raised in the Aeneid, the more obvious being a yearning for peace and brotherhood, and the identification of a chosen one that leads the people and instructs them as to the importance of religious ritual. (The Aeneid is teeming with descriptions of Aeneas performing acts of piety...albeit Pagan ones).

Thus revered, Virgil was an ideal candidate as a guide for Dante in the Commedia. Being a designated resident of Limbo himself of course, even  poor Virgil can not enter when Dante's travels bring him to Heaven(Paradiso)! But for the rest of the trip, Virgil is Dante's trusty guide.

The Commedia has been at the centre of many great artworks throughout the centuries. Starting from illustrated manuscripts, printed versions and subsequent painting and sculpture that appeared in the Renaissance and beyond.

One of the first printed editions of Dante's Commedia, dated 1472. 

Perhaps the most famous of the artworks derived from the Commedia is Eugene Delacroix La Barque de Dante, sometimes referred to as Dante and Virgil in Hell.  It was completed in 1822 by Delacroix when still in his twenties. The muscular figures and dramatic poses draw direct inspiration from Michelangelo and Rubens respectively. This painting represented a shift away from the controlled Neoclassical style of painters such As Jacques Louis David, and began to move towards the Romantic style. 

Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David (1784). The increasingly sterile and crisp Neoclassical style led way to more daring artists trying more expressive techniques. Delacroix Dante painting was to set the scene for the next wave of art in the Romantic style.

The Dante Painting also draws inspiration from a more contemporary source, with direct references to Theodore Gericaults's The Raft of Medusa (1819). This amazing image has had tremendous influence in art and multimedia since its initial unveiling. It is a depiction of the raft fashioned by crew of the French Naval frigate Meduse, which ran aground near modern day Mauritania in 1816. It was recorded that 147 people made it aboard a hastily made raft, with all but 15 of these dying over the 13 days before help arrived. The survivors endured starvation, dehydration and eventually turned to cannibalism. It still remains one of the most infamous incidents in Naval History.

The scene of the Persian ships forced aground by storm in  Zack Snyder's 2007 film 300 is a modern day example of the far-reaching influence of Gericault's astonishing image. 

One of the figures from the Gericault's Raft reappears in Delacroix painting as a lost soul, clinging to the barge on which Dante and Virgil travel.

Delacroix gives a nod to Gericault, clearly indicating The Raft of Medusa as a source of inspiration for The Barque of Dante.

It is a wonderful  example of two young artists - both in their twenties at the time, taking bold steps to create revolutionary images. This is no better illustrated in Delacroix most famous work, Liberty Leading The People (1830), which became the a cultural icon almost overnight and is held in deep regard by the French to this day. It depicts a stylised image of the events of the July Revolution of 1830.

Delacroix most famous painting is now considered a national treasure in France, and can be viewed at The Louvre, Paris.

Delacroix choice of a scene from Dante was viewed as quite novel at the time of its creation. The Commedia was a Medieval work, whereas alot of Neoclassical subject matter made allusions to, or directly depicted Ancient Greece and Rome. It was a great choice, with the scene in question providing a dramatic, action filled moment worthy of a film still. These factors allowed Delacroix image to not only capture the public's attention, but also showcase the newly emerging Romantic Style.

The only tender element of the image is Virgils steadying hand on Dante's. A touching representation of the affinity of these two great Men of Letters. It could be argued that this affinity was representative of the brotherhood felt by Delacroix to other young artists like Gericault.

The stylised wreath-wearing Virgil guides Dante through the River Styx as the pair travel to Hell. The billowing flames of the City of The Dead can be seen in the background, the smoke hanging thick in the air. The colours and technique used are a signififcant departure from the crisp lines of traditional Neoclassical painting, and demonstrate the impending peril and manic movement of the atmosphere and lost souls which clamour, kick and bite to get onto the barge.

Dramatic, disturbing, revolutionary: The Lost Souls of the River Styx aren't a happy bunch. One bites the barge, another bites a fellow soul on the head and the figure in the middle kicks another away.

The disturbing imagery of Delacroix composition had an almost immediate effect, with its symbolism being echoed in other portrayals of the Divine Comedy. One of the most notable of these is William-Adolphe Bouguereau's rendition of Dante and Virgil in Hell, painted in 1850. Bouguereau's references to Delacroix are pretty obvious...particularly the portrayal of the biting figure and the writers steadying each other. In this instance, Dante steadies Virgil, a nice allegory for the newer artist's reverence of his predecessor.

 Delacroix 1822 painting had quite an effect on Bouguereau.

Dante's Commedia continues to inspire creative works into the modern era. A TV Dante (1989) was a very unorthodox rendering of sections of the Inferno(Dante's journey through Hell). Directed by Tom Phillps and Peter Greenaway it polarised critics and viewers alike, including many Greenaway fans.

L'Inferno is perhaps the most interesting version of the Commedia committed to film. A silent movie(obviously) filmed in 1910, it has been re-released in 2006 with a sound score provided by contemporary musicians, Tangerine Dream.

Some of the most famous imagery associated with the Commedia are a result of illustrations that have accompanied published volumes. The most famous of these are those by French artist Gustave Dore, and have been compiled into a book themselves. If you ever do feel like reading the Commedia itself, ensure you have an edition containing Dore's illustration - it enriches the experience significantly.

Of particular interest to fans of art history and of Delacroix in particular - he was one of the first artists to keep a comprehensive journal which was publicly released - it is an amazing read. A currently available version is published by Phaidon, compiled/edited by Hubert Wellington.

Reading this work, you get to follow his thoughts as he plans amd executes some of the most famous images of European Art. Highly Recommended!

The unique vision of Akira Kurosawa

No version of Macbeth is complete without a creepy washing of the blood scene

The works of William Shakespeare have been an enduring challenge for film makers, providing ready-made scripts packed with drama, action and melancholy, all rendered in enchanting language.

It was an eventuality that Shakespeare was to be translated into other languages, and also begin to appear in non-English films. Some of these have tried to make a more dedicated effort to preserve Shakespeare's wonderful verses - other's have simply taken the story - often into another time and place than the original setting. Revered Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, affectionately called "Tenno" (Emperor) by his associates, took on the Shakespeare Challenge, and with stunning results.

The Emperor holds court - Akira Kurosawa during the filming of Ran

Two of the most breathtaking examples of Shakespeare reimagined are Akira Kurosawa's Ran and Throne of Blood. Ran was an adaptation of King Lear - and was one of Kurosawa's later projects - stunningly filmed in colour - with an epic scope rendered possible by the financial backing of Kurosawa devotees and Hollywood Champions George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola.

Throne of Blood  is filmed in black and white, and features striking performances and visuals.  Based on Shakespeare's Macbeth it is an unforgettable film, both for its storytelling and acting. Toshiro Mifune plays the doomed Captain Washizu, and Isuzu Yamada is a chilling Lady Asaji - as good an interpretation of Lady Macbeth as you will see in any Royal Shakespeare Company performance.

Both of these films are set in Medieval Japan, the times of great Clans, Castles and Samurai - which is not too far a departure from the Kings and Courts of England or Scotland. No attempt has been made to directly translate Shakespearian language - instead dialogue, even gestures are performed in very stylised manner, derived from Traditonal Japanese Nogaku (Noh) and Kyogen theatre.

It features some haunting Japanese verse, delivered as an Introduction in Throne of Blood, translation taken from the Criterion Collection version

Look upon the ruins
Of the castle of delusion
Haunted only now
By the spirits
Of those who perished

A scene of carnage
Born of consuming desire
Never changing
Now and throughout eternity

Macbeth itself has a strong supernatural element, with the Three Witches who fortel Macbeth's unfortunate destiny. This transposes nicely to the Japanese setting, whose culture is equally replete with meddlesome demons and evil spirits influencing the lives of  men and women.

One of the more eerie scenes in Throne of Blood  is when Captains Washizu and Miki become lost in 'Cobweb Forest.' Beset by evil spirits, they attempt to charge through it on horseback, firing arrows into the sky to keep the spirits at bay.

They eventually come to a clearing, and find a spectral figure in a hut, spinning thread onto a wheel. It outlines the fates of the Captains, and sets the course of the tragedy that is to follow. The image of the Spirit spinning the thread has become iconic in Japanese film and TV, often appearing in a depiction of an evil spirit or seer in period dramas. The Spinning Wheel is a delightful visual metaphor for Time - as the Spirit describes what is to come, bringing together the strands of all event that have led up to that moment of prophecy.

As they approach the spirit, it is singing an eerie song, hinting at the death and destruction ahead....

Strange is the world
Why should men
Receive life in this world?

Men's lives are as meaningless
As the lives of insects
The terrible folly
Of such suffering.

A man lives but
As briefly as a flower

Destined all too soon
To decay into the stink of flesh
 

Humanity strives
All its days
To sear its own flesh
In the flames of base desire
Exposing itself
To Fate's Five Calamities
Heaping karma upon karma

All that awaits Man
At the end
Of his travails
Is the stench of rotting flesh
That will yet blossom into flower
Its foul odor rendered
Into sweet perfume.

Spirits are not an uncommon element of Kurosawa's work. An earlier film, Rashomon has a unique scene where a spirit medium is used to give the testimony of a dead Samurai in a murder trial.

Rashomon consistently makes critics'  "Top 50 films"  of all time, and features dazzling performance by Toshiro Mifune as outlaw Tajomaru and the cute and cunning Machiko Kyo as Masako. It is based on the fusion of two stories by Japanese writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa .

Rashomon can be read here -  it was Akutagawa's first published short story and provides some elements of the film, but it is his other (very) short story In a grove which makes for the guts of the film - it is a quick read and can be viewed here.

It is interesting to note that such was the powerful effect of this film that the term Rashomon effect has since officially entered the English vocabulary, after having initially been used by Anthropologist Karl G Heider in a journal article (American Anthropologist, March 1988, Vol. 90 No. 1, pp. 73-81 (pdf).)   The term encapsulates the subjective nature of perception and is more commonly used to denote 'unreliable narration'

Masako, played by actress Machiko Kyo- the beauty at the eye of the storm in Rashomon

The usual suspects - This mirthful production still is prophetic in the sense that the film The Usual Suspects largely uses the same dramatic structure as Rashomon

During the course of the trial, the testimony of each witness reveals shocking differences, outlining the motivations of each character. One of the testimonies presented put the cause of the murder as a gust of wind,where it was described that the bandit Tajomaru became entranced by Masako after a breeze revealed her face from behind a veil.

"Were it not for that breeze....I would not have killed him"

The testimony of the Spirit Medium is my favourite - allowing the spirit of the murdered man to speak through her. It is quite creepy and also reminiscent of Noh Theatre which itself is often set in the spirit world.

"Cursed be those who cast me into this hell of darkness...." - The dead man speaks

Machiko Kyo's performance in particular is quite outstanding, accentuating the different emtional drives that accompany each testimony. These two images give a nice taste of this:

Which one would you believe? - Machiko Kyo shines in Rashomon

It is also worth noting that Japanese cultural organisations have been feverishly working to restore Rashomon to as pristine a state as possible.

One of the original English release posters for Rashomon

Ran, whilst also a tragedy, takes a different tact to Macbeth, as does King Lear. There is less of a supernatural element, and instead the folly of Human Nature becomes the driving force that lead the characters to ruin. The role of  Lord Hidetora Ichimonji is played by Tatsuya Nakadai - who puts in a superlative performance as the deluded sovereign. His companion and Jester is one of the true stars, readily aware of the Kings foibles, yet loyal nonetheless. The story revolves around the King and his sons, who are named after and depicted with colour as metaphor.

Those who are not accustomed to Japanese period dramas may find the course of these films slow in places. Whilst both do contain action sequences, the dialogue is given the greatest respect and delivered in a measured and quiet style - in keeping with the ettiquette of the period, and the idioms of Japanese theatrical tradition. Due to its larger cast and budget, Ran is much more epic in scope, and contains some stunning visuals. For one climactic scence, the shell  of an entire castle was rebuilt on the slopes of Mt. Fuji

Most of Kurosawa filmography has been released on DVD by The Criterion Collection and are available from specialist distributors, including amazon. Bluray editions are imminent, having been released in Japan in 2009. 

Akira Kurosawa has since become a cultural icon for his contribution to film in Japan and his influence in Hollywood. After the immense successes of Rashomon, Seven Samurai (1954) and the Sanjuro films, from 1965 Kurosawa entered a negative phase that saw many failed projects.  The negative reviews originally garnered for the film Dodesukaden (1970)  led Kurosawa to attempt suicide. These early reviews were immensely short sighted and this film now ranks among of Kurosawa's (relatively) hidden gems.

Luckily for him, and fans of Cinema world wide, Kurosawa rallied from his depression and went on to complete his stunning catalogue of films. Western film makers became interested in his works from quite an early stage, deriving films from his own creations - Kurosawa's Seven Samurai was remade as The Magnificent Seven, Rashomon became The Outrage featuring Paul Newman. Yojimbo (1961), inspired A Fistful of Dollars - though as cool as Clint's rendition is - he wasn't a shade on Toshiro Mifune's cunning Sanjuro (a false name the Samurai conjured for himself meaning "Aged Thirty Years")

When it comes to playing the cool drifter, Toshiro Mifune makes Eastwood look like a lab geek

For those interested in learning more about Kurosawa, a free documentary is available for viewing or download at this link. It is a pleasantly watchable summary of Kurosawa's life and works, including commentary from key Hollwyood figures whom derived inspiration from his work.

There are several books which examine Kurosawa and his works, including an upcoming 2010 title - Akira Kurosawa: Master of Cinema written by Peter Cowie with a foreword by Martin Scorsese. However, no Kurosawa journey is complete without reading The Emperor and the Wolf  by Stuart Galbrath IV, which examines the intertwined careers of Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune.

If you've enjoyed this article and haven't seen a Kurosawa film yet.... do so! Any of the films outlined in this article are great places to start. To the sorrow of film goers world wide, Akira Kurosawa passed away in 1998, aged 88 - fortunately his legacy and significant body of works will give him perpetual reverence in the Cultural History of Japan, and International Cinema.

"Akira Kurosawa" - Every great Master signs their work

Surrealism in Ancient Rome: Saturnalia & Fellini's Satyricon

A Roman partygoer stops to scrutinise the audience in Federico Fellini's Satyricon

The impending holiday season can be a time of contemplation. Whilst some are concerned with the purchase of gifts, celebration of family and engorgement, others may ponder.... how did things get to be this way?

Who started this end of year party and for how long has it been going on? It is a misrepresentation to say it is an entirely Christian phenomenon, and even a brief exploration of Ancient Roman festivals will shed some more light on the origins of this party, and reveal some interesting creative works on the subject.

Saturnalia was an Ancient Roman festival, believed to have been started in 217 BCE to boost public morale. Whilst dedicated to the commemoration of the Temple of Saturn, it was a bustling 7 day social phenomenon - involving games and festivities and the performance of a role reversal for slaves and their wealthy masters. Slaves partied hard and got to poke fun at their masters(within limits).

This is demonstrated very cleverly by Victorian Era Neo-Classicist Lawrence Alma Tadema in Ave Caesar, Io Saturnalia painted in 1880. This work currently resides at the Musee D'Orsay in Paris.

Caligula in a dress, dead and propped against the bust of a predecessor

It is a fascinating image, depicting a gruesome event in Roman History - the assassination of the allegedly crazed Emperor Caligula by his supposed protectors, the Praetorian Guard, and their subsequent proclamation of Caligula's 'idiot' uncle Claudius as Emperor in 41 CE.

As described in accounts by Roman writers, in particular Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus in The Twelve Caesars the Praetorians found a terrified Claudius cowering behind a curtain. Fortunately for him - the Senate and Military wanted him in charge, and Claudius went on to be one of the most effective Emperors of Rome.

One of his most notable achievements was the occupation of the British Isles, chiefly for resources such as lead and iron. Not unlike other Imperial regimes in History - the occupiers displayed a willingness for tolerance as long as taxes were payed and some credence payed to Roman deities. Outright opposition, such as that demonstrated by Queen Boudica was dealt with brutally.

Proclaiming Claudius Emperor (1867)

This accession of Claudius was a pet subject of Tadema's, with him producing 3 different paintings on the subject. Whilst two of these take a more literal approach to the depiction - another places the events within the context of the Saturnalia period. This cannot be implied by looking at the painting, but simply from the title chosen by Tadema. "Ave Caesar, Io Saturnalia!" means "Hail Caesar, Ho Saturnalia!"

It is not common to combine these two phrases - akin to saying "Long Live The Queen, Merry Christmas!" It must also be noted, the date of Caligula's assassination is stated as January 14, 41 CE, whereas Saturnalia, even in Caligula's time - had concluded by 24 December 40 CE.

In this case, Tadema is not aiming for historical accuracy, but using Saturnalia as a metaphor for the events depicted. Just like the role reversal that occurred during Saturnalia, servants of the Emperor were now dictating terms.

Caligula - dead and propped against the bust of a predecessor...

Interestingly, nearly a decade earlier, Tadema had painted the same scene in "A Roman Emperor" (1871). Close inspection reveals that this and the 1880 Saturnalia are an eerie mirror image of one another. The central figure is the Praetorian Guardsman, revealing Claudius behind some drapery. Lying dead on the floor is Caligula, attired in female garb - as he was apparently quite fond of doing. In both images, there are reminders of previous, greater emperors, of which Claudius did a far better job emulating than poor Caligula strewn on the floor. This wonderfully executed painting is on display at The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, USA.

This was a tumultuous time in Roman History, and has been given some spectacular coverage in art, film and literature.

Robert Graves legendary books I, Claudius (pub. 1934) and Claudius The God (pub. 1935) takes the accounts of Suetonius (and others) and weaves them into a dramatic tale of murder and political intrigue. This was made into a superb miniseries by the BBC - originally aired in 1976 and now widely available on DVD. A superb cast featuring Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Brian Blessed as Augustus, and John Hurt as a very disturbed Caligula.

Roman decadence has been a central theme of many famous films - such as Quo Vadis (1951), featuring an amazing performance by Peter Ustinov as Emperor Nero or the famous Cleopatra (1963) featuring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Indeed, most Hollywood offerings depicting ancient Rome seem to have an element of Roman decadence as a standard - which can be quite distracting from Rome's many other achievements in the fields of Engineering, Science and public hygiene.

The greatest depiction of merriment in Ancient Rome was undeniably in Federico Fellini's Satyricon (1969). Based on a work of fiction written by Gaius Petronius (27-66 CE) during the time time of Nero (late 1st century CE), it outlines the adventures of narrator Encolpius and his sixteen year old lover Giton.

The most famous part of the novel is Cena Tremalchionis, or 'Trimalchio's Dinner.' It outlines the extravagant celebrations hosted by the now wealthy former slave Trimalchio. Historians find this chapter in particular gives a valuable insight into the lives of ordinary Romans and the class of wealthy citizens outside nobility. It is because of this famous chapter that the word 'satire' and 'satirical' have endured through the ages for creative works exposing the folly of human behaviour.

The unforgettable and bewildering: Trimalchio's Dinner from Fellini's Satyricon

Fellini himself read Petronius work and became fascinated by the large missing fragments between the episodes described. He found this fragmentary nature to be akin to a recollection of a dream, and filmed his Satyricon as such. In a style that was a direct precursor to the dream state works of David Lynch and Peter Greenaway, Fellini and cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno created amazing imagery with music and dialogue to accentuate a dreamlike presentation.

A surreal mindscape from Ancient Rome, Fellini Style

You can obtain a free copy of Petronius' Satyricon from Project Gutenberg. It is recommended reading before watching the film. This makes some of the absurdity of the scenes stand out, as you see they are derived from a 2000 year old novel, and not just the mind of a modern Arthouse director. Fellini's masterpiece is of course widely available on DVD from MGM.

God's backside & Michelangelo's not-so-hidden brain

Iconic pieces of art occupy such a prominent place in the public eye that over time they begin to acquire their own folklore and mythology - whether it be about its creation or meaning. The Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes executed begrudgingly by Michelangelo Buonarroti between 1508 and 1512 have produced some of the most enduring images of the Renaissance. What are they all about? Is it just an Old Testament/Paganist mish-mash comic strip of epic proportions, or is there something more?

Michelangelo gets lumped with a massive task. Image from 2005 documentary Michelangelo Superstar

Firstly, it should be mentioned that Michelangelo was apparently not too enamoured with the arduous task assigned him. By reports, he would have preferred to be completing the sculptures of Pope Julius II tomb. Ever the trooper, Michelangelo persevered and working with his team, took the skill of fresco painting to new heights. Not too bad considering they did all of this on scaffold supports, with paint dripping onto their face. Evidence of the scaffolding system used supports the fact that a lot of the work was done in standing, as opposed to the common perception that it was done in supine. This misconception largely arises from the depiction in the Charlton Heston film, The Agony and the Ecstasy.

Michelangelo and crew would paint at all hours lit by candles tied onto their hats.

Known to be a drama queen of sorts, Michelangelo painted some quite clear references to his unhappiness at being assigned such an overwhelming project. This is most clearly demonstrated in his unnerving self portrait as the flayed skin of the St. Bartholomew. This image is on the Sistine Chapel altar wall, known as The Last Judgement. Although this wall was painted much later than the ceiling - it still resonates with the ill feeling Michelangelo felt towards the ordeals the commission had put him through.

There are many symbols and gestures in the chapel frescoes that have kept the fertile imaginations of religious types, art historians and the mentally off-centre busy for centuries. Some of these symbols are a bit more obvious than others.

There is an interesting amount of evidence that suggests Michelangelo may have preferred the company of men. The very notion of this seems to upset some, yet cause proud flag waving among others. Poetry written by Michelangelo to young male friends and students seem to indicate a predilection to male company and affection - as does his apparent obsession with the male form.

Some believe all of the models of the Sistine Chapel were males. Whether this was a cost cutting measure, artistic license, or something more lurid is hard to prove unequivocally. In any event, many of the figures of the chapel ceiling are brutishly muscular, even females and angelic young seraphs. While it does seem odd upon initial consideration, it isn't really too odd - accentuating the physique of figures painted high on a ceiling will give them a more distinct and prominent form when viewed from ground level.

That being said, some images raise eyebrows and question marks, such as the the various fruit arrangements adorning figures of the chapel, a lot of them looking quite phallic in nature.

One of the more obvious of the controversial shapes of the Sistine Chapel is "God's Brain". In one of the most famous images produced in the history of mankind, Michelangelo shows us a very Jove-like bearded God bestowing the gift of life to Adam through wifi. As the finger of God never actually touches Adam, there is no spark or wind between them. Jewish scholars believe this to be a reference to Kabbalic tradition, whereas students of artistic composition make an equally compelling argument that the space diminishes when viewed from the ground - where painting them actually touching would diminish the aesthetic balance of the image.

So much has been said about the purple hued brain shaped orb God and his merry band of followers seem to be floating around on. To anatomists and even the untrained eye, it does definitely seem to resemble a sagittal section (midline slice) of the brain.

An actual human brain (owner unknown!)

It is well known that Renaissance artists made studies of anatomical sections to better understand and depict the human form. The most famous of these midnight anatomists was of course Leonardo da Vinci, whose sketches of dissection specimens have been used in anatomical texts for centuries. Many of Michelangelo's sketches are similarly prized as masterpieces of anatomical drawing.

In this unique image, the epic events of Genesis start with God apparently flashing his arse at the viewer! Why Michelangelo did this is subject to wild speculation - and whatever the true meaning may be, it is definitely quite amusing. Having flashed his backside at creation and mortal observers below, God proceeds to make the heavens, and then whips around to point at Adam and bring him to Life.

In the chapel ceiling, the billowing orb God and crew float on is also seen in the panel depicting God creating the Sun and Moon.

In this sense, some believe the brain image indicates God bestowing intellect upon man. The Renaissance was a time of humanist endeavour, where in art and daily life, the toils of humankind took centre stage, with intellectual and artistic pursuits held in divine reverence. This explanation is definitely very plausible, and appealing to many - scholars and pious folk alike. It is indeed the most popular explanation.

The more cynical and cheeky among us hold that Michelangelo is having a dig at the church, and asserting God is a figment of man's imagination. Whilst this explanation rings true with the atheistic flavour of the modern age, it is hard to look at the myriad examples of Michelangelo's works of devotion and conclude that he had no stirrings about the divine. The inspiration and effort required to make such beautiful works requires some element of the artist believing in what they were doing, and investing themselves emotionally into their work.

A quick look at the marble hewn emotion of the Pieta makes it really difficult to picture Michelangelo as a rampant atheist, spouting off about the existence of God in the fresco equivalent of a manifesto. There are many indications that Michelangelo's respect for the institution of the church, and the pope in particular waxed and waned, but to state there is a total absence of an emotional devotion is a leap of faith worthy of trumpets and angels.

If this subject tickles your fancy, it is an absolute must that you see The Michelangelo Code, a two part documentary presented by Waldemar Januszczak, one of the most unassuming and informative Art Journalists of the modern era. This documentary was produced by Channel Four UK and ZCZ films. If you're in the UK you can view it from the Channel 4 Website, or can purchase it from the ZCZ site directly. Here's a nice little clip to give you a taste.

Watching Januszczak delve into the Sistine Chapel is fascinating, and whilst discussing the many facets of religious history and superstition the chapel images reveal, he manages to present it in a way that is not stifled by any apparent personal religious agenda.

Another fabulous documentary on this topic features lavish recreations of scenes and techniques used by Michelangelo in creating the Sistine images and the statue of David. Michaelangelo Superstar was released on DVD in 2007, though seems to appear quite regularly on documentary channels.

For those that want an alternative account of the religious themes of the Sistine Chapel, Blech and Doliner's Sistine Secrets is an interesting read. With the religious expertise that comes with such authorship, a degree of barrow pushing is implied

Finally, no mention of recommended reading materials on the topic of Michelangelo would be complete without mention of Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors and Architects.

Vasari was a contemporary and student of Michelangelo, his famous biographies of the Renaissance artists have been a hit since the day they were published centuries ago. A free public domain copy can be obtained from Project Gutenberg.

A wonderful panoramic recreation of the Sistine Chapel can be viewed online. Simply breathtaking!