[Republicanprofessor]

Okay, point well taken, but nowadays we use "masterpiece" to connote any great work of art. If one pays $12 per person at the Accademia in Florence, and about the only thing worth seeing there is David, I'd still call it a masterpiece.

Michelangelo's unfinished Slaves there are also great, but the rest is rather disappointing. Jalisco, do you agree? There was a REALLY unattractive postmodern interpretation of Michelangelo's Last Judgement there in Dec. 2004, showing a huge nude self-portrait of the artist. I thought it was hideous.

Good to "hear" from you again, Joe 6-pack.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Okay, point well taken, but nowadays we use "masterpiece" to connote any great work of art."

The conservative and originalist in me insist on rigid interpretations. I was a grumpy old man as a five year-old. I typically view the terms, "modern," "latest," "innovative," etc. as negatives. My soul got stuck somewhere around 1936, and even though I'm still suspicious of horseless carriages, the wireless, and automatic pistols, I suppose that this time, I'll accept your liberal twisting of the language in the interests of comity....;-)

[jalisco555]

Michelangelo's unfinished Slaves there are also great, but the rest is rather disappointing. Jalisco, do you agree? There was a REALLY unattractive postmodern interpretation of Michelangelo's Last Judgement there in Dec. 2004, showing a huge nude self-portrait of the artist. I thought it was hideous.

I agree. The rest of the works there were kind of a hodgepodge of fairly uninteresting pieces. I don't remember seeing the nude self-portrait although I may have repressed it. The Slaves were very good, though. The story behind them was fascinating as well.

The problem with Florence is that there are so many jaw-droppingly great works of art that the merely good works don't have a chance.