What’s the Opposite of Seeing the Virgin in a Cheese Sandwich?
That would be, I would guess, seeing a cheese sandwich in a picture of the Virgin Mary.
While we might wonder about the psychology, and perhaps the timing of the last meal, of the viewer so inclined, we would probably shrug and say, “SO?”
Because cheese sandwiches just aren’t as exciting as godheads. Just sayin’.
But if the perpetrator of the cheese sandwich is named Michelangelo, we might take note.
It has been widely assumed from the astonishing anatomical detail present in Michelangelo’s works that he, like virtually every other Renaissance artist, did dissections. And yet, unlike his contemporary and rival, Leonardo DaVinci, there is no proof that he did.
Of course, keeping such proof would have been very, very dangerous. DaVinci, older, protected by the Florentines, might not have had to be quite so careful, but Michelangelo, in the direct employ of the Pope, probably couldn’t afford to get caught.
[Even so, Leonardo was refused entry to a Roman hospital by the Pope, because he was a 'heretic and cynical dissector of cadavers.']
Still, no direct proof of Michelangelo’s sin. Unless Suk and Tamargo, two neurosurgeons from Johns Hopkins, are right.
[Did you know that Johns Hopkins has a Department of Art as Applied to Medicine? Nope, me neither.]
These two are convinced that Michelangelo did make records of his anatomical studies. It’s just that, instead of committing them to drawings like Leonardo, he stuck them on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Art historians seem less than convinced. Perhaps it is the well documented tendency of the human brain to recognize patterns (even when they aren’t there), but, while the rest of us see faces, neurosurgeons see brains.
Judge for yourself. Do you see a brainstem in God’s neck?
Lovingly swiped from PhysOrg.com (http://www.physorg.com/news196441618.html)
Or perhaps a sagittal brain section?
I have known a few neurosurgeons. And that’s as far as I’m willing to take my assessment on the subject.
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12 Comments
Nan
Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 at 8:26 am
Oh my God, there it is! I see it! A cheese sandwich!
[Reply]
Alex@LateEnough
Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 at 9:20 am
That’s so funny. One of my friends a phd/md in neurosurgery paints neurons. And goes by the nickname neuron. Enough said.
[Reply]
Wendy
Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 at 9:49 am
I think that if you obsess about The Blessed Virgin, you’re more likely to see her everywhere…. and if you obsess about brains, you’re more likely to see those everywhere, too.
I would be most likely to see cheese sandwiches where they are not. But that is because I can’t eat cheese OR bread and the idea of a buttered grilled cheese sandwich made with good cheese…. mmmmmm.
[Reply]
Stephanie Barr
Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 at 10:09 am
Just reinforces my own belief that there are certain people with far too much time on their hands.
I’m not sure how I feel realizing that some are neurosurgeons.
[Reply]
mira
Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 at 10:55 am
I just think it’s hilarious that Mary in a grilled cheese sandwich is an important event that means miracles have occurred but when Jesus gets hit by lightning the end of the earth isn’t upon us.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100615/NEWS01/306150004/-Touchdown-Jesus-statue-at-Solid-Rock-Church-on-I-75-destroyed-by-lightning-fire
[Reply]
Dr. Dad
Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 at 12:24 pm
Unfortunately, now I keep seeing the pons and hippocampus everywhere I look! I swear I saw them in an aerial photo of the oil spill in today’s paper.
I wonder what the folks at the time of Da Vinci would have said to someone reporting the image of the Virgin Mary on their grilled cheese sandwich (assuming they had them then). Can you say “burn baby burn”? Wow have times changed.
[Reply]
sara @ domestically challenged
Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 at 12:46 pm
Wow- I will admit, there are some similarities there. I imagine if you are going to spend an insane amount of time paining a ceiling, you deserve a bit of ‘freedom’
[Reply]
Robert the Skeptic
Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 at 9:55 pm
Seriously, I wouldn’t put it past Michelangelo to have attempted to pull off such a stunt.
Supposedly there are representations of female anatomy hidden in ornate Vatican architectural elements, cornices and columns.
[Reply]
ck
Friday, 25th June 2010 at 5:02 am
Wait, there’s a department at Johns Hopkins created solely for this purpose? Maybe I took my undiagnosed skin condition to the wrong wing of the hospital…
[Reply]
frogmama
Saturday, 26th June 2010 at 3:31 pm
That last one also kind of resembles and upside-down stomach…maybe he was hungry as he was painting.
[Reply]
Mrsbear
Sunday, 27th June 2010 at 5:18 pm
Great, now I will never un-see the brain.
[Reply]
Mrs.Mayhem
Tuesday, 29th June 2010 at 6:47 am
After recently touring the Salvador Dali museum (he who hid all sorts of crazy items in his weird-ass paintings), I can see the hidden images.
[Reply]
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