Did Michelangelo view painting as equal to sculpture?
Some critics foolishly argue that painting is superior to sculpture. I say, what is painting but the squaring of the circle? It is a more complex endeavor, demanding greater mastery. To render the depth, the volume, the true three-dimensionality of form upon a flat surface requires a profound understanding of light, shadow, and perspective, alongside the anatomical truths. My work on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, a monumental task, demonstrates that painting, when executed with the rigor of sculptural understanding, can achieve a commensurate, even greater, level of spiritual and physical presence.
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