after four long years, much of which was spent arguing with Pope Julius II and Raphael, among others, and dealing with his family who were (was?) as dysfunctional as they get. Typically, they expected the Famous One in their midst to pay all their bills. Some things never change!I saw the chapel in 1985, just as the work on cleaning it was commencing it. The chapel is narrow and tall, so seeing anything at all is difficult--unless you lay down on the floor, which I think they probably frown on--and then adding 475 years of candle grease and dirt. It was, uhm, uninspiring. The painting behind the altar was easier to see, but harder to look at. Michelangelo painted The Last Judgment towards the end of his life, and the poor guy must have been depressed and/or scared about his eternal future...or that of some of his friends... It's quite horrifying. Even Jesus is scary, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, really. But that's a whole OTHER discussion!
In any case, I think it's a good sight for thinking about those who have gone before us. Happy Día de los Muertos! Have a sugar skull on me amongst your ofrendas. Spare your ancestors a good thought today; without them, where would you be?
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