Five Translation Errors That Shaped Art History
DailyArt Magazine features an article discussing five significant historical translation errors that have impacted art. It opens with the depiction of Moses with horns, a result of Saint Jerome's incorrect translation of 'qāran' as 'qeren' in Exodus 34. The second error pertains to the Black Death, misnamed by Swedish and Danish historians, leading to its association with a black figure in 15th-century artworks like 'Allegory of the Plague'. The third mistake involves Giulio Romano's frescoes at Palazzo Te, which include monkeys due to a translation error in Ovid's 'Metamorphoses'. The fourth issue is the creation of Eve, where 'tselah' was misinterpreted as 'rib'. Finally, the presence of an ox and donkey in Nativity scenes originates from a mistranslation in the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew. This article references Romolo Giovanni Capuano's book, '111 Translation Mistakes That Changed the World'.
Key facts
- Michelangelo's Moses has horns due to Saint Jerome's mistranslation of Hebrew 'qāran' (shining) as 'qeren' (horn) in Exodus 34.
- The Black Death's name may stem from a mistranslation by Swedish and Danish chroniclers, as noted by German doctor J.F.K Hecker in the 18th century.
- Giulio Romano's Chamber of the Giants at Palazzo Te includes monkeys due to a mistranslation of Ovid's 'Metamorphoses'.
- The Hebrew word 'tselah' meaning 'side' or 'half' was mistranslated as 'rib' in the story of Eve's creation.
- The ox and donkey in Nativity scenes originate from a mistranslation in the apocryphal Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew.
- The article is inspired by Romolo Giovanni Capuano's book '111 Translation Mistakes That Changed the World'.
- The Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco by Michelangelo depicts Eve's creation from Adam's rib.
- The Black Death peaked in Europe from 1347 to 1351, killing an estimated 75-200 million people.
Entities
Artists
- Michelangelo
- Giulio Romano
- Giorgio Vasari
- Arnold Böcklin
- Giotto
- Fra Angelico
- Domenico Ghirlandaio
- Sandro Botticelli
- Jules-Élie Delaunay
- Sigmund Freud
- Romolo Giovanni Capuano
Institutions
- Vatican Museums
- Palazzo Te
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Church of San Pietro in Vincoli
- Sistine Chapel
- DailyArt Magazine
Locations
- Mantua
- Italy
- Rome
- Paris
- Mount Sinai
- Eurasia
- North Africa
- Europe