Since ancient times, humanity has witnessed the destructive power of megalomania. One example is Roman emperor Nero, who ordered the great fire of Rome on the night of July 18 year 64 AD, in order to fulfill his dream of erecting a great palace at the summit of the Esquiline Hill. This extravagant building, known as the Domus Aurea, was the most impressive building in the whole empire, only surpassed by a 36-meter statue that represented the ruler as a Sun God. This statue was the sole structure that shimmered as the city turned to ashes.
It is astonishing how fame can make people change. Some artists and celebrities have had altars built in their name when they realize the cold of edge and how immortality can only be achieved through glorious or infamous greatness. One of the most representative examples of megalomania in popular culture is the singer Micheal Jackson.
Neverland is just a tiny proof of the fantasy he wished to thread across his life. In this fantasy world all his dreams and whimsies would come true any time of the day, regardless of how ridiculous they were. A zoo and an amusement park: this whole ranch was an extravagance that could have only come out from the wildest dreams of the celebrated king of pop. However, no one was prepared for a great revelation that would come during an auction that took place on November 28, 2016.
Among the objects that once belonged to Michael Jackson, there was a series of paintings that we could only describe as the epitome of a megalomania.
Each painting depicted Michael Jackson in different scenarios, ranging from a Camelot knight to Peter Pan. But it is also true is that, as extravagant as these paintings may be, they portrayed the world as he saw it.
Most of the portraits were painted by the same artist: David Nordhal. Since 1988 —the year he received his first commission from Jackson—, he started working on the paintings that form part of the series. He received about 150 thousand dollars; needless to say that these commissions turned him into a millionaire.
Other artists that also collaborated in this peculiar collection were Ralph Wolfe Cowan and Leon Jones Wolfe. The latter has stated that he had to correct the painting where Michael appears in an armor once because, instead of painting a monkey, the artist had painted a dog. The instructions he received were: “I don’t like dogs, I like monkeys.”
Just when we thought this man couldn’t surprise us anymore, these paintings saw the light of day. We can’t deny their mysterious and kitschy style, and this is what makes them invaluable pieces of art that, in a way, trap us inside their fantasy world.
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Check out these paintings only the brave can admire. Have you seen these paintings that depict the link between madness and creativity?
Translated by Andrea Valle
