Writing Homework Help

Questions (choose one):

1. According to Leo Steinberg, in Leonardo’s Last Supper, “as the person of Christ unites man and God, so his right hand summons the agent of his human death even as it offers the means of salvation. This two natured hand in its congruent godhood and frailty is the profoundest pun in all art.” Explain how Steinberg revises our understanding of what is happening at and on the table in the Last Supper.
2. For Michelangelo, the male body is an architectural miracle, capable of conveying surprise and grace. It is governed by strict laws of symmetry and geometric design, but these laws can and should be relaxed and even challenged in sculpture in order to make the body express important truths. Discuss how Michelangelo’s approach to the male nude develops by comparing the Bacchus to the David. (Please consult the additional reading, Luba Freedman’s “Michelangelo’s Reflections on Bacchus” posted in module Week 5)
3. How and why do Leonardo and Michelangelo diverge in terms of how they interpret the Madonna as a woman and mother? In your essay, choose at least one work by Leonardo and one by Michelangelo to compare, paying close attention to how they approach the depiction of the Madonna visually.