Michelangelo's Puzzle

For fans of art crime, art history, astronomy, and puzzles, Michelangelo's Puzzle expands on Rebecca's article published in Journal of Art Crime (2019), in which she argued that the Vatican's Laocoön Group was created by Michelangelo as a forged antiquity. Drawing on the traditional link between Laocoön and the constellation of Ophiuchus, Michelangelo was able to depict the famous sculpture within the context of a hidden star map on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The foreword has been written by Noah Charney, founder of the Association for Research into Crimes against Art (ARCA). This book is unique as it has been written by a professional artist who combines creative insight with rigorous research.

Rebecca Jelbert is a published author, professional painter, and doctoral researcher. She has had five articles published in academic, peer-reviewed journals and is currently studying for a PhD in Art History. Her paintings have been exhibited in venues such as the Mall Galleries, Christie's and Bonhams, and her illustrations have appeared in print and on BBC TV. Rebecca's art history articles have been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals, including The Burlington Magazine and Dante Studies (Johns Hopkins University Press).

Foreword by Noah Charney Acknowledgements Introduction Part I. Laocoön and his Sons (the Laocoön Group) Chapter 1. Did Michelangelo Forge the Laocoön Group? Part II. The Sistine Chapel Ceiling Chapter 2. Michelangelo's Secret Star Map Chapter 3. The Solving of an Ancient, Celestial Puzzle Chapter 4. Giotto, Dante and Leonardo, and the Passing on of Ideas Part III. The Last Judgment Chapter 5. The Constellations of the Human Face Conclusion Bibliography Index About the Author