BellaOnline Forums Education Renaissance Michelangelo

Please Phyllis! I did not mean to imply that you are deranged for wanting to touch a work of art! Most of us want to, which is why they have to be protected. But to try to destroy a priceless work of art by smashing it to pieces with a hammer cannot be considered normal behavior in any way.

Some pieces of art have been available to touch for centuries, though. There is an ancient bronze statue of St. Peter just down the aisle from the Pieta in St. Peter's in Rome, and it has been the custom over the ages for people to rub his toes while praying for a blessing. The toes are worn down nearly smooth and shiny bright, and there is a sense of connection with centuries of supplicants when you touch them. Every one had carried a molecule or 2 of bronze away on their fingers, and I did too.

Yes, Claybird, I rubbed the S. Peter statue also.

My husband and I also rubbed the right breast of the staute of Juliet at the home in Verona, Italy where it is believed the real life Juliet of "Romeo and Juliet" fame lived. It is worn to a satin smoothness from all the lovers of the world who do exactly what we did.(there was a legend of Romeo and Giulietta from centuries before Shakespeare wrote his immortal story. They did marry, did not die, and eventually, separated. She went to a convent and he became a soldier. I researched this for my thesis and it was very interesting!)