"Of course, an incorrupt corpse was one of the traditional signs of sanctity."

Was Michelangelo the first celebrity artist?

The life and death of Michelangelo was a monumental celebrity affair.

BY MARTIN GAYFORD PUBLISHED 28 NOVEMBER 2013 11:50

"Borghini “and all of us who were present were expecting to find that the body was already decomposed and spoilt”. After all, Michelangelo had been dead at this point for the best part of a month. Yet Vasari claimed: “On the contrary we found it [his corpse] still perfect in every part and so free from any evil odour that we were tempted to believe that he was merely sunk in a sweet and quiet sleep. Not only were his features exactly the same as when he was alive (although touched with the pallor of death) but his limbs were clean and intact and his face and cheeks felt as if he had died only a few hours before.”

Of course, an incorrupt corpse was one of the traditional signs of sanctity."