What is the Pieta, you ask? It's my favorite sculpture and quite possibly my favorite fine art piece in general. It's Michelangelo's representation of the Virgin Mary holding her crucified son. Here's a Google image:
This sculpture is so aesthetically pleasing to me. I love to look at it. I marvel to know that Michelangelo carved this statue out of marble at age 23!
So I was a little surprised to see this thumbnail in a list of chocolate images on Google. I clicked on the image, and to my horror, saw that the image was a piece of white chocolate made to look like the Pieta. That's right; Encore Chocolates, Inc. -- a chocolate candy company in Rochester, NY -- is selling the Pieta as a PIECE OF FOOD!!!
This is extremely disturbing on so many levels. If we were to look at the piece of chocolate as just a piece of chocolate, then we could say that the mini-sculpture was terribly made. (It's not to scale at all.) But more importantly, it's a completely inappropriate way to sell candy. As a Christian, I respect the admirable and solemn tone of Michelangelo's sculpture. It's a religious art work that moves me in a profoundly spiritual way, and I'm sure it has the same effect on others. As such, it should not be replicated in chocolate form and eaten! And the same goes for any other religious figure or symbol. I would not, for example, condone a chocolate candy of the Catholic Pope, St. Peter's Basilica, or Mathura Buddha.
I can't believe this company is making money off the candies!
1 comment:
I hadn't really thought of it as that offensive, but when I think about eating, say, Christ's foot, yeah, that's just wrong.
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