Art History on Trial

Annamaria on Monday

In February of 2022, I posted a blog about one of the greatest masterpieces of Renaissance art.  At the time, I thought that I (a woman without credentials) was taking liberties by weighing in on an argument among art historians about Michelangelo's statue of David.  Little did I know the real risks of my audacity.  As I have learned over the past week or so, I took an awful chance by showing this picture without first getting your parents' permission.

Perhaps you have been distracted by other news, like on ongoing war and its proximity to a huge nuclear power plant.  Or the first-ever indictment of a President of the United States.  Or the new 20-second rule for baseball pitchers.  Allow me to clue you in on the big brouhaha about what is and is not allowed in the teaching of art history.

At the Tallahassee Classical School in Florida, the principal was forced to resign after a parent called the picture above "pornographic."  Tallahassee Classical is a charter school; this means that, although the tuition-free school is supported by public funds, it can have a syllabus that differs from what public schools follow.  Parents can choose such places for their children if they see an advantage over the local public school.

At the school in question, when teaching a section on Renaissance art, a teacher showed her class of sixth graders (eleven and twelve year olds) three images.  The one above.  This one, also by Michelangelo:

And this painting by Botticelli, The Birth of Venus:

Florida's governor has been making a lot of noise recently about what should and should not be taught in schools, and the state has passed a law against teaching children about human beings' differences when it comes to sexual preferences (popularly called the Don't Say "Gay" law).  Stirring up parents about what their children should and shouldn't be taught has, no doubt in my mind, given parents another thing to worry about.

At Tallahassee Classical, in the past couple of years, the school sent out "warning emails" to parents about the upcoming lesson that would give their children chance to see and learn about three of the most magnificent works of art ever created.  In addition to the mom who cried "porno," two other parents objected to the fact that they had not been so warned this year.  Evidently, the email had been prepared, but the staff forgot to click "send."

The uproar caused Barney Bishop III, chair of the school's board, to demand that the principal, Hope Carrasquilla resign or be fired for what he called an "egregious mistake."  Though having been in her job less than a year, she was given no choice, so she quit.

At this point in my story, I cannot help but bring up what really breaks my heart about this.  When it comes to the opinions of the governor of Florida, I know I am on firm ground here.  Perhaps among those parents who want to make sure their eleven and twelve year olds don't see the penis on the statue of David, there may be some - who like their Ron DeSantis - object to any form of gun control.  Having knowledge of what had happened in Nashville, Parkland, and Uvalde, such people think it's okay for school children to see their class mates shot to pieces, or be shot to pieces themselves, but they raise their voices against their children seeing a photograph of a 519 year old statue that glorifies the beautify of a human body?  incomprehensible!

The aftermath of what I cannot help but think as marblepenis-gate, there have been these responses:

Hillsdale College in Michigan, a Christian organization, which created the syllabus used by Tallahassee, has severed ties with the Florida school.  They said, "This drama around teaching Michelangelo's 'David' sculpture, one of the most important works of art in existence, has become a distraction, and a parody of, the actual aims of classical education."

The Galleria dell' Accademia in Florence has been swamped with throngs of tourists wanting to see the David in person.  Many of them have been American tourists having their picture taken the iconic statue.

Dario Nardella, mayor of Florence, has invited Hope Carrasquilla, at his own expense, to visit his city and see the statue in person and receive the adulation of the populous, who know a great thing when they see it!

Buon viaggio, Hope!

For all we know, by the time you return, Florida may have a new Don't Say "Michelangelo" law.