Can you give examples of censorship on visual arts in history? - Historum

**Efendi** · October 10th, 2011, 12:18 PM

Original "the creation of Adam" of Michelangelo:

The cencored one:

**Star** · October 10th, 2011, 12:38 PM

Silly! Michelangelo's Last Judgement was indeed painted over (fig leaves), but IIRC they were removed during restoration this past decade.

Recusant · October 10th, 2011, 02:12 PM

Actually it was draperies, jocularly known as braghe "breeches."

Quote:

From "The Last Judgement" (Vatican Museums website):

As well as praise, the Last Judgement also caused violent reactions among the contemporaries. For example the Master of Ceremonies Biagio da Cesena said that "it was most dishonest in such an honoured place to have painted so many nude figures who so dishonestly show their shame and that it was not a work for a Chapel of the Pope but for stoves and taverns" (G. Vasari, Le Vite). The controversies, that continued for years, led in 1564 to the decision by the Congregation of the Council of Trent to have some of the figures of the Judgement that were considered "obscene" covered. The task of painting the covering drapery, the so-called "braghe" (pants) was given to Daniele da Volterra, since then known as the "braghettone". Daniele's "braghe" were only the first and in fact others were added in the following centuries.

There is a nice little essay on censorship of nudity in art by the church (the infamous fig leaves are explained) which can be found at the QI Talk Forum.