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ROME (AP) — A museum in Florence invited parents and students of a Florida charter school to view Michelangelo’s “David” Sunday after the principal was fined after parents complained that nude images of the Renaissance masterpiece were shown to viewers. Forced to resign. Sixth grade art class.
Florence Mayor Dario Nardella also tweeted to invite the principal to come and visit so he could pay tribute to her in person. Nadella said it was “ridiculous” to confuse art with pornography.
The incredible response from the Italians underscores European perceptions of America’s culture wars, where the Renaissance and its masterpieces, even outright masterpieces, have generally remained uncontroversial despite a rise in right-wing sentiment and governance.
italians are responding Tallahassee Classical School Board Last week forced the resignation of principal Hope Carrasquilla. The school has a policy requiring parents to be notified in advance of “controversial” topics being taught.
Carrasquilla believes the board targeted her after three parents complained that a class included a picture of a 5-meter-tall (17-foot) 1504 nude marble sculpture “David”. Considered a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, the work depicts the biblical David going to battle Goliath based solely on his faith in God.
Carrasquilla said two parents complained that they were not informed in advance that nudity would be displayed, while a third called the iconic statue pornographic.
Cecilie Hollberg, director of David’s Academy Gallery, expressed shock at the controversy.
“To think that ‘David’ might be pornographic means really not understanding what the Bible says, not understanding Western culture, not understanding Renaissance art,” Holberg said in a phone interview.
She invited principals, school boards, parents and student groups to view the “purity” of the statue.
Tallahassee Classical School is a charter school. While it’s taxpayer-funded and tuition-free, it operates almost entirely independently of local school districts and is popular with parents looking for an alternative to the public school curriculum.
Approximately 400 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 attend the three-year-old institution, which is currently serving its third principal. It follows a curriculum designed by Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian school in Michigan where Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is frequently consulted on education issues.
Barney Bishop, chair of the Tallahassee Classical School board, told reporters that while photos of the statue played a role in Carrasquilla’s ouster, it wasn’t the only factor. He declined to elaborate in his defense of the decision.
“Parents have a right to know at all times that their children are learning about controversial topics and images,” Bishop said in an interview with Slate online magazine.
A message was left on Sunday asking Carrasquilla to comment on Fiorentina’s invitation.
In a statement last week to the Tallahassee Democrat, who first reported the story, Carrasqueira said Bishop “expressed his concern when a parent was upset that a policy or procedure was not being followed to a ‘T’.” Dissatisfaction with my leadership.”
Mara Stone, chair of the humanities department at the American Academy in Rome, said the Florida incident was another episode in an escalating culture war in the United States and questioned why the statue was considered so controversial that it needed forewarning.
“We have a moral movement here against the body, sex and gender expression, and ignorance of history,” Stone said in an email. fear.”
Michelangelo Buonarroti was commissioned by Florence Cathedral to sculpt the “David” between 1501 and 1504. The statue is an exhibit of the Academy, which attracts 1.7 million visitors to the museum each year.
“It was very sought after by Americans who wanted to take a selfie and admire the beauty of the statue,” said director Holberg.
Like many museums in Europe, this museum is free to student groups. There is no indication that any travel will be subsidized by the city or the museum. ___
Spencer reported from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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