Lettera inviata nell' Aprile 1984 a: Artisti, Intellettuali, Musei,Media.

E per conoscenza: Gianluigi Colalucci (Chief Restorer of Paintings in the Vatican) Carlo PietrAngeli (General Director of the Pontifical Museums) His Holiness John Paul II

Università Utopica e/o Ubiquitopica

Cattedra di Utopiapratica

On 21 January 1564 the "Congregazione del Concilio di Trento" ordered to get "covered whatever "obscene" parts, painted by Michelangelo, were contained in his "The Last Judgment" (il Giudizio Universale), located in the Sistine Chappel.

Daniele da Volterra had been the first in a series of "braghettoni" painters who had recovered the original frescoes with a myriad of multi-colored veils and deceptions which kept Michelangelo's work from being observed. Interventions by censors had become practice with greater frequency beginning in February, 1564 (Michelangelo had not yet been dead), and they continued in time.(many had taken place in the 1800's) even until 1935-1936.

All of the interventions by the Censors for the protection of their alleged interests had been executed enthusiastically in distemper with the exception of the St. Blaise and St. Catherine of Alexandria group. These two saints painted by Michelangelo had been chipped (the same fate had befallen another character whose face appeared between these two) and they were substituted by two "stand-in's repainted on the fresco. St. Catherine who had been nude had been redressed in a smock of green and yellow; St. Blaise, who was bowed down, was repainted in an erect position with his head turned in a direction opposite to that which had been painted by Michelangelo - in such a way as to disturb the geometry of the glances and as a result of this distortion, the meaning of the work. Nothing more has been able to be known about the third character. Of all the works of Michelangelo, not including another series of interventions which still have not been well-documented, we may calculate at least forty-seven verified censorings: forty-three by veils and screenings; two figures arbitrarily reconstructed; one character who has vanished from sight; and, the overshadowing of the buttocks near the arms of Moses or Adam.

It must now be realized that to see "The Last Judgment" it had been conceived and realized by Michelangelo, it will not suffice to remove the "outer skin" and the smoke of the candles as they had been executed in the restorations of the Michelangelo frescoes in their very own intricacies. In the Sistine chapel work is going on and the restoration process of the lunettes is almost complete. If all goes on schedule, this part of the restoration should be finished by 1988. Then, the restoration of "The Last Judgement" will begin and that should be completed by 1992. In a recent interview with Gianluigi Colalucci chief restorer of Vatican paintings, for a long time the problem of the "coverings-up" had not even been talked about, Colalucci answered questions put to him by journalist Clara Valenziano and these answers were published in La Repubblica, 24 April 1984. When you restore "The Last Judgement" are you going to let the work of the "braghettoni" painters remain or will you remove it? Colalucci answered: "That depends. St. Catherine, who was nude, cannot be changed. She was chipped and remade in fresco. Then dressed. Perhaps we can remove some of the veiling which was tempered after 1800". It depends on which veiling we are speaking about. The St. Catherine poses no problem for the chief restorer of Vatican paintings essentially because there is nothing in it of Michelangelo. Of course, St. Blaise, who is the pin of the distortion perpetrated by the censors, was not meritioned. When one comes to the crucial pooint of re-proposing the question of brining to light the original fresco, or of leaving it so, distorted by censorship, a vicious circle is entered.

The Università Utopica seeks answers to the following questions.

A) In the specific case of "The Last Judgement", realizing that the additions to it were executed exclusively for the propose of censoring and were so executed against the will of the artist, should not the original be granted precedence, with such right o priority agreed to by the restorative authorities, in-such a way that the frescoes ought to be restored without modification in any way whatsoever which might distort their originality?

B) Would it not be propitious, very fortunate, that following the original designs and sketches and that copy by Venusti reserved in the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples and following the usual procedure and the adopted technology used by the restoritive authorities, in such cases as these, that St. Blaise and St. Catherine be reconstructed just As Michelangelo would' have painted them?

C) Art is created through the artist into works. Can these works possess sensibility if they can be twisted in their meanings, or be destroyed, or be hidden, at will by those who possess them even legitimately?

Do you think the notion, that works of art ought to remain untouched by anyone, is a worthwhile premise, or that any justification that comes into fashion to support the the will of others to change, destroy and hide them, is a proper conviction? If works of art ought to remain untouched by anyone, should this belief be held valid only for as yet unproduced works, or should it be retroactive, and if it is possible, should "covered" works be restored to their original versions?

On October 10th 1981 this University asked the Stato della Cittˆ del Vaticano to abolish the ancient censorship placed upon "The Last Judgement." In collaboration with the magazine Il Male, it initiated a campaign in support of the proposition. Unfortunately, this effort was weakened drastically when the magazine went out of business. Recently, the Comitato Michelangelo Svelato, (The Comittee to Unveil Michelangelo) was formed. It has inscribed many artists and intellectuals.

This University is always gathering data, testimony, evidence, opinions, and suggestions to manifest its interest and concern.

All material being accumulated will be compiled in a book with the hope of offering clarification for all. This book will serve, also, as a universal guide dealing with the censorship connected with "The Last Judgement".

The information collected will be disseminated in all countries of the world. It will give everyone the chance to examine the data in a manner which offer not only the expertness and professionalism of intense study and examination but it will afford the appropriate way to seek what is optimum to its purposes.

Textual material, debates, abstracts, articles, evidence, and proposals are sought by the University from all fields of study.

All individual who deem it necessary to collaborate in this initiative will receive, periodically, information coverering the progress of our efforts. Of course these concerned people will be supplied with copies of the proposed book, catalogs of the exhibition, and all other worthwhile publications. All material that the University possesses is available upon request.

It is imperative that we be alert and cautious to the goings-on of the next restoration to show our concern for returning to humanity one of its greatest masterpieces.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely yours

Galeazzo Nardini

Foundation Member of the Università Utopica.

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