'The Monuments Men'

We went to see George Clooney's 'The Monuments Men' yesterday afternoon.  It takes the very serious and seriously interesting story of the Allies search for art and architecture looted, stolen and destroyed by the Nazis during World War II and turns it into a kind of 'Ocean's 13.5' caper movie.  It's entertaining, but Clooney has trouble deciding if it's a comedy or an action movie or a serious look at a very difficult and disturbing aspect of that war.

The cast includes serious actors (Cate Blanchett, Hugh Bonneville), major stars (Clooney, Matt Damon), character actors (Bob Balaban, Jean Dujardin, Dimitri Leonidas) and comedians (Bill Murray, John Goodman) which adds to the confused tone.  The result is lots of loose ends and unexplored subplots.

Tying the plot to two masterpieces of western art -- the Ghent Altarpiece by Van Eyck and the Bruges Madonna by Michelangelo (more below) -- looted by the Nazis greatly simplifies the potential sprawl of the subject matter. Focusing on these works, lends some narrative structure to the film, but what about the art stolen from Jews? art looted from French museums? art seized by the Russians? architectural treasures destroyed by both the Axis powers and the Allies during the war?  All of these questions are raised during the movie, but none are adequately addressed.

It is a most unsatisfying gloss on questions that remain unresolved to this day.  George Clooney is to be commended for raising the subject, but not for providing much more than that in this disappointing movie.

We've seen both works more than once and they are indeed significant works of art.

Michelangelo's 'Bruge Madonna'

'Madonna with the Infant Jesus' by Michelangelo, marble, 1501-1504,
Church of Our Lady, Bruges, Belgium,
photo by Blomme/McClure, 1971 

This photo was taken in 1971 before an anarchist attacked Michelangelo's 'Pieta' at the Vatican.  Both sculptures are now protected by bullet-proof glass.  There is a distinct resemblance between the Madonnas in Bruges and Rome. Both are stoic and a bit sad.  In Bruges, the Madonna regards her child taking his first steps into the world with both resignation and apprehension.  In Rome, of course, she knows that her apprehension was well-founded as she cradles her dead son following his crucifixion.

Van Eyck's Ghent Altarpiece 
The Ghent altarpiece is an enormous amalgamation of 12 panels painted on wood by Jan Van Eyck for an altarpiece which was designed and possibly assembled by his brother, Hubert Van Eyck, for St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent.  The outer panels are painted on both sides and mounted on hinged doors which can be closed.  The upper register of four paintings on the obverse side compose a glowing 'Annunciation to the Virgin Mary':

'Archangel Gabriel Making the Annunciation' obverse panel from the 'Ghent Altarpiece' 
by Van Eyck, 1432, oil on wood panel, Saint Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium,
photo by Blomme/McClure, 1986

'The Virgin Mary Receiving Annunciation' obverse panel from the 'Ghent Altarpiece' 
by Van Eyck, 1432, oil on wood panel, Saint Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium,
photo by Blomme/McClure, 1986

The central panel in the lower register on the inside shows the adoration of the sacred lamb representing Christ surrounded by angels and worshiped by male martyrs (upper left), female martyrs (upper right), Old Testament prophets and pagan writers (left foreground) and male saints (right foreground).  To modern sensibilities these seem like strange dichotomies, but they probably made sense to viewers in 1432.

'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb' panel from the 'Ghent Altarpiece' by Van Eyck, 
oil on wood panel, 1432, Saint Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium,
photo by Blomme/McClure, 1986

The picture is filled with religious symbolism as well as a skyline of recognizable Belgian landmarks including the tower of Utrecht Cathedral just to the left of the sun.