All right, cherubs. Right now we're looking at a detail from the Fresco on the ceiling of Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo.
好的,天使們。現在我們要看米開朗基羅在西斯汀禮拜堂天花板上的局部壁畫。
This particular detail is often called Creation of Adam and it's one of the most recognizable paintings ever made. People often discuss how Michelangelo painted this while lying on his back, or use it for a fart joke Memes, but this has been reproduced for more interesting reasons. It visually tells a story of God giving life to mankind out of dust, which is what Adam's name means.
這塊特定的局部通常被稱作〈創造亞當〉,而它是至今最具辨識度的畫作之一。人們通常討論米開朗基羅是怎麼背靠在地上畫出這個的,或是把它拿來做惡搞圖,但這畫被複製是因為更有趣的理由。它以視覺講了上帝從塵土中給了人類生命的故事,而塵土正是亞當名字的意思。
Now that's a big task—how can one paint God? Michelangelo chose to make him look old and wise here, which God should be since he's infinitely old and infinitely wise. But he's also really fit. Check out those triceps. He's youthful and strong, which God should be since he's infinitely powerful and should be energetic enough to be infinitely present.
現在那是個大工程--人怎麼可以畫出上帝?米開朗基羅選擇了讓祂在這看起來年長又有智慧,上帝應該這樣,因為祂是極其年老和極其有智慧的。但祂同樣也非常強壯。看看那些三頭肌。祂朝氣蓬勃又強壯,上帝應該這樣,因為祂是極其強大、應該要有足夠的精力永遠存在。
Adam is stationary here as dust is, while God is in motion, stretching to give...is it life? Adam already looks awake, I guess. He kind of has a blank stare here but his eyes are open. He can be viewed as an allegory for dust: lifeless and still, waiting for the breath of life to enter him.
亞當在這就跟塵土一樣是靜止的,然而上帝在移動中,伸展著要給他...是生命嗎?亞當看起來已經是醒過來的,我猜。他在這像是有著無神的凝視,但他的雙眼是睜開的。他可以被看做是塵土的象徵:毫無生氣且靜止不動,等待著生命的氣息進入它。
An interesting idea here is that God is giving Adam consciousness or intelligence. This is perhaps the reason that it's so popular to discuss the relationship with God's vehicle, here, to the human brain. I mean, this does look like a brain.
這裡一個很有趣的想法是,上帝正在給予亞當知覺或智慧。這也許就是為何如此流行討論神的乘坐工具,這裡,與人類大腦關係的理由。我是說,這確實看起來像顆腦袋。
This scarf looks like a vertebral artery, and this cherub's leg was like a pituitary gland. Some even claim this section of the painting here represents synapses, which is a part of the neuron to transmit chemical or electrical signals to one another.
這條圍巾看起來像脊椎動脈,而這個天使的腿像腦下垂體。有些人甚至稱畫作的這區塊代表神經突觸,這是神經相互傳遞化學或電子訊號的部位。
Now Michelangelo certainly would not have known about synapsis, but the comparison is fun to think about. He did work with dissection and knew quite a bit about the human body. You can easily see his knowledge of anatomy in the Statue of David. So this brain theory isn't entirely crazy.
米開朗基羅當然不會已經了解突觸,但思考這比擬是很有趣的。他確實有做過解剖且了解相當多關於人體的事。你可以輕易地看出他對大衛像結構分析的了解。所以這個大腦理論並非完全瘋狂的。
This part of the brain is called the occipital lobe, and it's partly responsible for sight. Sight has an interesting relationship with consciousness, particularly when we think about an intellectual movement Michelangelo was a part of called Neoplatonism.
大腦的這部份稱為枕葉,它負責部分視覺。視覺和知覺有種有趣的關係,特別是當我們想到米開朗基羅曾參與、叫做新柏拉圖派哲學的知識運動。
This movement, encouraged by the first Latin translations of Plato's work in Florence during the late 1,400's, revived Platonic philosophy and the content of ideal forms during the High Renaissance. Plato's works stressed the importance of metaphysical forms, immune to any corruption, over temporary earthbound forms subject to decay.
這個運動,由1,400晚期間在佛羅倫斯柏拉圖作品的首批拉丁文翻譯所引領,在文藝復興盛期使柏拉圖哲學和理想形式的內涵重新流行起來。柏拉圖的作品強調了抽象形式的重要性,免於任何在受制於衰敗的暫時、受世俗束縛的形式中任何腐化。
What we can visually see in the physical realm, using our occipital lobe, is a reflection of a higher ideal form, and in the Christian framework, it's a reflection of the light of God.
我們可以在物質方面從視覺上看到的,利用我們的枕葉,是更高一等理想形式的反射,而在基督教的架構中,這是上帝之光的反射。
Mankind uniquely has this double nature. We have the ability of comprehend like a God, but we have to perceive the universe with flaw senses made from dust. In this painting, Adam has been given the insight to recognize higher spiritual forms through their earthbound shadows or representations.
人類獨特地擁有這種雙重特質。我們擁有像上帝一樣理解的能力,但我們必須要用由塵土做成、帶有缺陷的知覺來理解天地萬物。在這幅畫中,亞當被給予識別出更高一等精神形式的洞察力,透過他們受世俗所束縛的幻影或是形象。
Michelangelo also plays with Neoplatonic thought by representing mankind in ideal form. I mean, no man in the real world has that kind of muscle structure, or at least I'd like to think it's not possible. By representing Adam in an ideal way rather than a natural way, he's forcing us to consider the idea of man rather than the physical and temporary real men.
米開朗基羅同樣也透過以理想形式描繪人類,擺弄新柏拉圖派哲學的思想。我是說,在現實世界沒有男人擁有那種肌肉結構,或至少我想認為這是不可能的。藉由以理想的方式而不是自然的方式描繪出亞當,他正迫使我們思考「男人的概念」、而不是實際上當代的「真正男人」。
It's interesting to think this painting illustrates God giving humanity the breath of life through consciousness and a physical brain that is literally the vehicle through which we can perceive the metaphysical by showing God riding on that vehicle.
那是很有趣的,想想這幅畫描繪出上帝給予人類生命的氣息,透過知覺、以及透過其實就是那騎乘工具的實體腦袋,透過那個我們可以藉由表現出上帝騎乘著那工具,理解那抽象概念。
Just sit with that for a little while.
就接受那想法一下下。
If you like the way we discussed this painting and want to see more, please subscribe for a new art history video every other Monday.
如果你喜歡我們討論這幅畫作的方式,且想要看更多,請訂閱以在每隔週一看到新的藝術史影片。
- 「相當多」- Quite A Bit
He did work with dissection and knew quite a bit about the human body.
他確實有做過解剖且了解相當多關於人體的事。 - 「受制於、使服從」- Subject To
Plato's works stressed the importance of metaphysical forms, immune to any corruption, over temporary earthbound forms subject to decay.
柏拉圖的作品強調了抽象形式的重要性,免於任何在受制於衰敗的暫時、受世俗束縛的形式中任何腐化。