Censorship of Da Vinci’s masterpiece sparks outrage during Winter Olympics
A portrayal of Leonardo Da Vinci’s iconic Vitruvian Man has been censored for winter Olympic coverage, with his genitals removed from the image. This alteration has raised significant controversy among critics who view it as an unacceptable affront to Western artistic heritage, reports BritPanorama.
The opening titles of Italy’s national broadcaster Rai for the Milano-Cortina games featured the modified image, drawing the ire of commentators and journalists alike. The decision to censor Da Vinci’s work led Corriere della Sera to question: “What happened to Vitruvian Man’s genitals?”
Critics have drawn sharp comparisons, with the Five Star Movement party likening Rai’s actions to those of “ayatollahs” in Iran. The Democratic Party, Italy’s primary opposition, is planning to hold the Culture Minister, Alessandro Giuli, accountable for this artistic amendment, asking if permission was ever sought to alter such an esteemed work.
Party spokesperson Irene Manzi expressed her views, stating, “This is a clear affront, and someone has, for sure, made an error.” She emphasized that the altered artwork had been “humiliated and impoverished.” The artwork, according to the party, holds a status not only as an image but as a symbol of Italian art and culture, making its censorship deeply troubling.
In response, Rai dismissed the controversy, labelling it as “fake news” and attributing the art alteration to the Olympic chiefs. The broadcaster clarified that the artwork was part of a graphics package supplied by the International Olympic Committee’s production division and indicated that the graphic was distributed uniformly to all rights-holding broadcasters.
The Olympic Broadcasting Services also defended their decision, asserting that the representations of the Vitruvian Man were meant as a homage to Da Vinci’s original work. They highlighted that they secured permissions from both the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice and Italy’s Ministry of Culture for the modifications made.
This incident marks a notable detriment to the coverage of the Winter Olympics, particularly given previous missteps by Rai, including a mix-up during the opening ceremony where a commentator incorrectly introduced the stadium and confused Mariah Carey with an Italian actress. Furthermore, this situation adds to a backdrop of doping allegations surrounding the games, where ski jumpers are currently under investigation for potential performance-enhancing practices.
The sight of a revered masterpiece altered raises important questions about censorship and artistic integrity within the sphere of global sporting events. It serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between respect for national heritage and the pressures of modern broadcasting standards, highlighting the fragility of cultural dialogue in an increasingly homogenised media landscape.
