Michelangelo's hidden message: Breast cancer symbol in fresco
An international team of experts has discovered that one of the figures on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, adorned with Michelangelo's frescoes, depicts the symbol of a disease that affects a significant portion of society. According to experts, many details in the painting suggest that the renowned Italian artist intentionally immortalized the symptoms of a dangerous disease.
For centuries, visitors to the Sistine Chapel, located in the Vatican Palace, have admired Michelangelo's monumental frescoes without realizing that among the 300 figures is a woman with visible symptoms of breast cancer. Scientists from various fields, integrating knowledge of art history, medicine, and genetics, analyzed the deformities in the left breast of a semi-nude woman depicted in the scene of the biblical flood.
Michelangelo hid many details in his frescoes
With a blue scarf on her head symbolizing her marital status, this figure points to the ground, which may indicate her impending return to dust. Doctors noted characteristic darkening around the areola, skin indentation, and subtle swelling in the upper part of the breast and armpit area – typical symptoms of advanced breast cancer, reports Science Alert.
Considering Michelangelo's deep knowledge of anatomy, gained, among other things, through dissections, scientists are convinced that these deformities are not accidental. Comparisons with other figures in the fresco confirm the uniqueness of this representation. Despite numerous restorations of the ceiling over the centuries, the original shape and shading of the breast have not undergone significant changes.
According to researchers highlighted by the Science Alert portal, the artist likely did not replicate the deformity from a model with breast cancer but purposefully incorporated the symbolism of a fatal illness. The depiction of potential breast cancer connects to the idea of life's transience and carries a punitive meaning, as detailed by scientists in the journal The Breast. This could serve as a concealed message related to sin and its repercussions.
This is not the only instance where Michelangelo might have immortalized disease symptoms in his work. Similar deformities were previously noticed in the sculpture "Night" from the tomb of Giuliano de' Medici. This discovery underscores the artist's extraordinary ability to understand and represent the human body and the depth of symbolism in his works.
