Censorship Claims Arise as Rai Alters Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man for Winter Olympics

Italy's state broadcaster, Rai, has faced accusations of censorship after modifying Leonardo da Vinci's iconic Vitruvian Man by removing the drawing's genitals in the opening credits for the Winter Olympics coverage. This transformed version of the 500-year-old artwork appeared briefly at the start of an animated clip that transitioned to showcase winter sports athletes such as ice skaters and skiers. The controversy began when Corriere della Sera, an Italian newspaper, noted what many viewed as a significant alteration and questioned, "What happened to the Vitruvian Man's genitals?" The publication pointed out that nearly all other features of the celebrated artwork had been accurately represented, raising eyebrows as to why that specific detail had been omitted. The backlash was swift, with Italy's opposition parties—particularly the center-left Democratic party—quickly condemning the censorship. They accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government of exerting undue influence over public broadcasters. Several deputy members of the Democratic party voiced their concerns in parliament, demanding further investigation into Rai's decision to use the modified version of da Vinci's work. They urged culture minister Alessandro Giuli to clarify whether Rai had obtained the necessary permissions to reproduce the image and whether alterations had been approved by its custodians. Irene Manzi, the Democratic party group leader on the culture committee, remarked that tampering with Leonardo's masterpiece was "incomprehensible and unacceptable." She pressed, "Did Rai really go so far as to alter a Leonardo?" indicating that such a move may set a troubling precedent regarding artistic integrity and censorship in media. In response to the growing concerns, Rai dismissed the censorship claims, framing them as an unfounded controversy aimed at unfairly targeting the broadcaster. They clarified that the management and production of the opening credits were handled by the Olympic Broadcasting Service (OBS), suggesting that Rai had no chance to intervene or alter the content before airing it. This incident is compounded by a separate debacle involving Rai’s sports director, Paolo Petrecca, who mistakenly identified Italian actor Matilda De Angelis as singer Mariah Carey during his commentary on the Winter Olympics ceremony. Following this blunder, the journalists' union, Usigrai, announced that reporters from various news segments would collectively remove their bylines in solidarity with sports journalists facing growing frustrations over the organization's leadership and direction. As scrutiny continues to mount regarding the integrity of Rai's broadcasts and its relationship with the current political landscape, questions persist about artistic freedom and the extent of government influence over public media. The erasure of such a notable element from Da Vinci's work raises broader implications for how historical art is consumed and presented in modern contexts, especially during significant events like the Olympic Games. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2