Michelangelo’s Laocoon

image It's already well known that Michelangelo dabbled in art forgery. That's not disputed. For instance, there's his famous forgery of the Sleeping Cupid. However, Lynn Catterson of Columbia University thinks that a much more high-profile forgery should be attributed to him. She believes that Michelangelo forged The Laocoon, which has long been regarded as one of the most important pieces of ancient Greek sculpture in existence. She points out that Michelangelo was present when The Laocoon was unearthed in 1506. She has promised to provide further proof to back up her allegation at a lecture today, as well as in a book she's submitted for publication. (thanks to Jelena for the link)

Art History

Posted on Wed Apr 06, 2005


Comments

It can't be a forgery- the snakes look too real
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Wed Apr 06, 2005  at  09:31 PM
Might a forgery of so famous a piece
if forged by Michelangelo be worth more than
it is currently valued at?
Posted by Sharruma  on  Wed Apr 06, 2005  at  10:27 PM
Forgery? He must
be a genius, for we just
found out his secret.

Sorry for the bad haiku, the way Shar's post is set up, it just reminded me of one.
Posted by Winona  on  Wed Apr 06, 2005  at  10:47 PM
Sorry, Winona, the hoax haiku contest is over. I keep meaning to start up a new version of it, but that'll have to wait until after my book is done.
Posted by The Curator  in  San Diego  on  Wed Apr 06, 2005  at  11:24 PM
Speaking of the book Alex, next time I'll just send you a money order. Paypal has had my cash for eight days now, and it still does not show in my account. Canada Post has gotten my MOs to the states within four days on a regular basis.

To say I'm annoyed is just a SLIGHT understatement.

I'd say hopefully tomorrow, but, meh...

Maybe the church re-instated limbo...
Posted by Rod  on  Wed Apr 06, 2005  at  11:42 PM
There's no hurry, Rod. I've got a shelf full of the books. They're not going anywhere fast.
Posted by The Curator  in  San Diego  on  Thu Apr 07, 2005  at  09:14 AM
LOL, I completely forgot that you had had a haiku contest - that was when I first started reading the page, I think, or soon after.

Guess that means I was on topic for once, albeit wayyyyy late.
Posted by Winona  on  Thu Apr 07, 2005  at  10:28 AM
So the lecture in which Dr. Lynn Catterson revealed all the evidence happened yesterday, dang it. Any news reports? Or will we all have to order her book too?
Posted by andychrist  on  Thu Apr 07, 2005  at  10:30 AM
If it turns out Michaelangelo didn't do it, will that make the Laocoon a fake forgery?
Posted by Big Gary C  on  Thu Apr 07, 2005  at  04:27 PM
I'm taking Art History and in my class in the fall, we went over this piece. In my book it says it was unearthed in Rome in 1506 in Michelangelo's presence and many scholars believe that a Pergamene statuary group of the second century BCE was the inspiration for the three Rhodian sculptors. They believed Athanadoros, Hagesandros, and Polydorus of Rhodes all attributed to sculpting it.

Just my thoughts and information I remembered about it. It is a very important piece though.
Posted by Cindy  on  Thu Apr 07, 2005  at  10:36 PM
_The Buonarroti Code_, anyone?


I was at Catterson's lecture two nights ago. Her lecture itself was outrageous and entertaining, possibly momentous, and supported by very deft deployment of digital video. The argument itself was neither conclusive nor completely convincing. Both Leo Steinberg--intro'ed as "the world's foremost authority on Michelangelo"--and Richard Brilliant--intro'ed as "the world's foremost authority on the Laoco
Posted by Enheduanna  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  11:04 AM
There's just one thing I'm not understanding here...

What metal do they think he forged it from?
Posted by Mark-N-Isa  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  10:31 PM
Had to be done... like I said I'm going on NO sleep here! 😊
Posted by Mark-N-Isa  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  10:32 PM
I haven't been to sleep since 1976. I got too close to large fireworks for the US Bicentenial, and ever since then, I don't need sleep. I do zone out a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot oh sorry. See?
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  10:41 PM
Hey Hairy,

How's come the Members List says you were last seen 1/27 and isn't counting your comments anymore?
Posted by Mark-N-Isa  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  10:56 PM
sorry. I forgot to reset my continuum navigator during the transfer at that 3rd wormhole, and it kinda messed up my continuity in your time/space pocket. My bad
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  11:14 PM
The 'system' only knows you're here and leaving comments if you're logged in as a member. But Hairy is a free agent. He lives outside the system.
Posted by The Curator  in  San Diego  on  Sun Apr 10, 2005  at  10:10 AM
Has anyone noticed that at the bottom of the calendar link it states that you must RSVP by April 1st?

http://calendar.columbia.edu/sundial/webapi/get.php?vt=detail&id=2975&con=embedded&br=ais
Posted by Lounge Lizard  on  Tue Jul 11, 2006  at  03:27 PM
So I attended her lecture, she's pretty amazing. She knows her info. She had crazy details to back up the allegations such as info into his bank accounts as well as his purchases of marble blocks etc.
Posted by Me  on  Thu Dec 14, 2006  at  11:14 AM
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