[Sigia-l] Why "design" makes some of us cringe.

[Cynthia Thorn]

not sure if this fits in, but . . .

On Mon, 22 Jul 2002, David Heller wrote:

> 
> It can be argued that Michelangelo was solving a problem when he painted
> the Sisteen Chapel (I was just there so its on my mind), but that means
> he was an amazing graphic designer, who made a painting whose problems
> were, "How to teach lay people about Christian folklore? How to inspire
> great reverence for this space?" (for example?) ... But no one would
> ever call this design. 
> 

When Michelangelo was producing paintings he has considered a craftsman
who produced his work under very detailed contracts for specific patrons.
(i.e., He has not engaged in creating "art" and locating a buyer for his
personal inspiration.) The patron would have determined the subject and
the painter would be solving the problem of how to tell the story. Paintings, 
in fact, were often commissioned because they were much cheaper for
patrons than was sculpture. At least this is what I am remembering from 
graduate school . . .   

A very good reference:
Michael Baxendall, Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy: A
Primer in the Social History ofPictorial Style(Oxford University Press;
2nd edition, 1988)

Cynthia