| Circling the Dome |

The Sistine Surprise

Duo finds new trace of Michelangelo’s obsession
with neuroanatomy.

When R a fa el Ta m a rgo first laid that reveal the artist’s

eyes on the magical frescoes adorning abiding fascination
the Sistine Chapel’s ceilings as a high with cadaver studies—
school student, he became so enthralled an interest he may have
with Michelangelo’s masterwork that downplayed since the
he missed the bus back to Rome. After Vatican had displayed
years of see-sawing between his love some ambivalence Medical illustrator Ian Suk and neurosurgeon Rafael
of painting and medicine—eventually about such studies in Tamargo teamed up to find one of Michelangelo’s best-
kept secrets.
choosing a life in neurosurgery—Tama- the 1500s.
rgo has returned to Michelangelo to Some of the “dis-
add his thumbprints to the great artist’s coveries” in Michelangelo’s work are “Stunned” by the revelation, Tamargo
visionary work. And this time Tamargo arguably wishful thinking, but Tamargo also thought Meshberger’s analysis made
has been aided by the advanced skills of found the work of one serious scholar to perfect sense. “If you know the brain’s
Johns Hopkins medical illustrator Ian be a clear breakthrough. In a 1990 JAMA anatomy,” he says, “it’s unavoidable to
Suk. paper, Frank Lynn Meshberger skillfully interpret the painting that way.”
After a long study, the duo is at last argued that a pivotal fresco known as “If Michelangelo used that motif
prepared to unveil a Renaissance secret. “The Creation of Adam” was heavily once,” thought Tamargo, “I’m sure he
To wit: In the climactic creationist Sistine modeled in the motif of a human brain. used it again.” At Hopkins, Tamargo
panel known as “Separatiion of also knew he had the ultimate
Light from Darkness,” Suk and sleuthing partner. “If anyone
Tamargo have detected lines in could find it,” thought
the anatomy of God’s neck that Tamargo, “it would be Ian
strongly suggest an underlying Suk. He knows the neuro-
structure other than an Adam’s anatomy cold.”
apple. In an image in which the Suk says his talks with
creator’s head is dramatically Tamargo got him “fired up.”
arched back, Suk spotted the As he studied Michelangelo’s
nearly unmistakable form of a panels online, Suk homed in
brain stem. The news came to on art historians’ preoccupa-
Tamargo in an excited phone tion with “something about
call. “Rafael,” said Suk, “I’ve the neck” in the “Light from
found it.” Darkness” panel. In a 2003
The background is that, paper, a pair of researchers
since the 1950s, many have been confidently proclaimed it as
finding hidden “Michelangelo’s Divine Goi-
treasures amid tre.” But as Suk looked more
Michelangelo’s Temporal
lobe of closely, the goiter claim fell
brain
frescoes. The Optic
chiasm Cerebellar
apart. “I know my neuroanat-
stakes are more Cerebral
hemisphere

Cerebellar
omy,” says Suk, “and this was
peduncle
than a fancy Pons
flocculus
way too high to be a goiter.”
parlor game for Pyramids of
When an excited Suk sum-
art historians.
medulla
oblongata moned Tamargo in December
As some have Anterior
median
sulcus
2008 and then used a series
argued, such hid- of overlays to build his case,
den elements could reveal a sub- Tamargo could barely contain
versive mockery of the work’s the thrill. “Ian,” he said, “this is
commissioner, Pope Julius II, After summoning Tamargo to his Hopkins office in going to be big.”
or of the Catholic Church in December 2008, Ian Suk used overlays to make his case Their joint paper debuted in
that Michelangelo had sketched the anatomical form of a
broader terms. Tamargo thinks human brain stem into God’s neck. A previous paper had the May issue of Neurosurgery.
the clues are merely signatures proclaimed it “God’s Divine Goitre.” Ramsey Flynn

Photo by Keith Weller

6 • Hopkins Medicine • Spring/Summer 2010