Michelangelo Buonarroti
Cleopatra (recto, detail), (c. 1532–33)
Michelangelo Buonarroti
Project for the Façade of San Lorenzo in Florence
Michelangelo: from Casa Buonarroti to MFA Boston ‘Michelangelo: Sacred and Profane, Master Drawings from the Casa Buonarroti’: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), presents 25 drawings by Michelangelo on loan from the Casa Buonarroti in Florence. April 21 – June 30, 2013]]>
Source: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA)
The exhibition showcases 11 figure drawings and 14 architectural designs (forchurches, military fortifications, a library, and a gateway), several of which are large,multi-sheet works. Because of the delicate nature of the drawings, they are infrequentlydisplayed and are rarely seen in the United States. The exhibition offers an intimateview of the hand and mind of the artist at key points in his career through the display offigure drawings and architectural studies. Among the works on view are “Cleopatra” (c.1532–33) and “Madonna and Child” (c. 1524), from the middle chapter of Michelangelo’s life as he sought to surpass himself aftercompleting the Sistine Chapel ceiling in 1512 at the age of 37.
“Cleopatra” is one of several drawings by Michelangelo created as special gifts for friends. It was given to Tommaso de’ Cavalieri,a young Roman nobleman to whom the artist was devoted. Cavalieri treasured it for some 30 years, but as the work gainedprominence, Cavalieri was compelled by the Duke of Florence, Cosimo I de’ Medici, to relinquish it. Cavalieri remarked that itwas like losing one of his own children. The portrait was returned to the Buonarroti family years later with other works by themaster that had been similarly acquired by the duke.
In addition to figure drawings, “Michelangelo: Sacred and Profane” highlights designs for real and imagined structures, some ofwhich were executed, and others that never left the drawing board because they were too costly, ambitious, or fantastical to berealized. The Casa Buonarroti has the largest collection of the artist’s architectural drawings in the world, ranging from plans for SanGiovanni dei Fiorentini, to drawings of imaginary fortresses with pincers and shells like giant crabs. They document his legacy as anarchitect, among his many other accomplishments as draughtsman and painter, as well as sculptor (“Pietà”, 1499; “David”, 1504).
“There are very few works by Michelangelo on view in the United States—and, in fact, the MFA does not have any in itscollection—so for Boston, this exhibition represents a unique opportunity to see many outstanding drawings by one of the greatestof masters,” said Malcolm Rogers, Ann and Graham Gund Director of the MFA.
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Michelangelo’s Dream at the Courtauld Gallery (exhibition, 2010)
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