Michelangelo's fingerprints discovered on the butt of a wax sculpture

Originally published at: Michelangelo's fingerprints discovered on the butt of a wax sculpture | Boing Boing

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Whoa! This means we can clone him, right?

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They should run it through AFIS. You never know what he might have been guilty of.

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Better never dust my hiney for prints, the guilty party is sitting next to me drinking coffee.

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Or at least put him on that Florida “enhanced scrutiny” list - after all he was squeezing butts.

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Now the government can unlock his iphone.

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We tried to convict him but we found out that the statue of limitations had expired…

image

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Has anyone checked David’s junk?

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Approve South Park GIF

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Another Michelangelo, Caravaggio, had quite a rap sheet.

What I want to know is how can they be certain that this is Michelangelo’s thumbprint; rather than someone else’s?

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i was wondering the same thing. are there some verified Michaelangelo prints to compare this one to? i mean, anyone can leave a stray print…

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Reminds me of Charlton Heston’s first scene in the film adaptation of The Agony and the Ecstasy:

Bramante: How many sculptures do you plan for this tomb?
Michelangelo: Forty. You know that.
Bramante: And it took you how long to carve the David in Florence?
Michelangelo: Four years.
Bramante: Four times forty is…?
Michelangelo: I know, Bramante, I know, a hundred and sixty. That’s why I can’t afford holidays.

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I always thought those sculptures were from the Buontalenti Grotto. I didn’t realize they were originally intended for the pope’s tomb (though not surprised). They look better in the cave.

Honest question: AFAIR, Michelangelo Buonarotti had a workshop, and didn’t do everything himself.

Could it be someone else’s fingerprints on those buttocks?

Maybe even someone else’s who just handled the thing… Last year? Yesterday?

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Absolutely. I think all they have is circumstantial evidence. They’re probably assuming he made the wax model himself, even if his workshop helped with other sculpting.

I don’t think so. It is usually possible to see whether a fingerprint was left as part of the sculpturing process or as part of handling. At least based on my limited experience with fingerprints on ancient ceramics.

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