Michelangelo Art Mystery

For centuries legend had it that a fresco above the altar was painted by the great Florentine artist Michelangelo in his youth. And the claim has sometimes been referred to in scholarly texts. But it has recently been learned that, at the end of last year, a stone slab forming part of the altar was heaved aside to reveal the first visible evidence for the claim: a monogram with the letters M, B and F intertwined. MBF is thought to stand for Michelangelo Buonarroti (his name) and fecit (did (it) in Latin), a common way of asserting authorship, or fiorentino (the Florentine). Stylistic verification of the claim will be difficult because the central part of the fresco was damaged by damp and painted over. But at least one scholar has said there is something of Michelangelo in the muscularity of the thief who stands on the right of the painting in Chianti, Italy. For the full story - click the title Irish Art