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Michelangelo s Tomb of Giuliano de Medici One of the most famous artists ever known since the 16 th century is a man by the name of Michelangelo Buonarroti. He has composed art that is both breathtaking and unmatched in such skills as painting, sculpture, architecture and poetry. Some of his most famous works of sculpture that he composed are standing in the Medici Chapel in Florence, Italy even today. I would like to speak of a particular piece contained in the Chapel entitled Tomb of Giuliano de Medici.
First I would like to say a few words concerning Michelangelo s financial status for materials and his visions for the figure. According to the book entitled, Michelangelo: The Complete Sculpture, Painting, and Architecture; Michelangelo was an aristocratic artist working for the pope and had a nearly unlimited budget in the 1520 s. Michelangelo also had a legendary ability to judge the quality of a block of marble; it was even said that he could see the figure imprisoned in it. (Pg. 213) I think that this quote from author, William E. Wallace, shows a very interesting background in Michelangelo s finances and genius. He had made numerous life-size statues with handpicked blocks of marble. Wallace also states that some experts believe Michelangelo s financial backing helped contribute to the beauty of his work.
I was not sure how to take that comment at first, but after looking at many of Michelangelo s sculptures, I think the fact that he was particular about the quality of block which was used shows that he was a master that wanted to depict figures that were unequivocally beautiful, muscular, and harmonious. The Tomb of Giuliano de Medici is an example of Michelangelo s mastery of both muscular figures as well as composition. The piece was worked on from 1519 through 1534. The piece contains three figures.
The elevated central figure in the piece is Giuliano de Medici. The niche in which Giuliano sits is very small, which I believe make the figure look much larger to the viewer. The two figures, which lie below the niche of Giuliano, are entitled Night and Day. These figures are a bit over life sized due to their extremely defined, muscular builds. They appear, according to Olsen s Italian Renaissance Sculpture, to be sliding off the curved, split lids, giving the illusion that the sarcophagus will open to release the soul of the deceased. (Pg. 129). I will speak more about these figures, but I would first like to speak more about Michelangelo s original plan, and the similarities / differences that I saw in the principals of design.
According to Mc Ham s Looking at Italian Renaissance Sculpture, Michelangelo may have intended to put statues in the two niches beside Giuliano, and fresco's in the lunettes. (Pg. 187) I believe that the two niches and the lunettes were included as architectural elements. I don t think that a master such as Michelangelo would leave a piece that he wanted to do more with. Why spend over a decade on a piece and not do what you set out to do? I believe that putting figures in the other niches would take away so much from the central figure, Giuliano.
If he had intended to put fresco's in the lunettes, than why did he choose to have Night and Day hanging off of the sarcophagus, almost completely covering the lunettes which were to be painted? It is thought that Michelangelo left Florence because of changes in political ideals, but I cannot imagine Michelangelo leave such a piece unfinished, unless of course if he was in immediate danger. The Tomb of Giuliano de Medici has three figures set up forming a somewhat triangular design, just as Massacio s, The Holy Trinity. And the I believe that this is a significant aspect to look at because both works were in Florence, Italy.
I would be very surprised if Michelangelo had not seen Massacio s painting prior to beginning his work on the Tomb of Giuliano de Medici. The Holy Trinity was done in a side aisle in the Sta. Maria Novella Gothic Church. It, too, contained a triangular design with Christ crucified on the cross toward the top of the composition, then below on either side, John the Evangelist and the Virgin Mary, and below them, the donor portraits.
Although Massacio s work was done in a Gothic Church, he chose to use a more Roman influence as far as the arch and the columns. Michelangelo also included Roman architecture. These works cannot tell me if Michelangelo meant to have these elements in common with Massacio, but I think that this shows that even a master artist such as Michelangelo may design work from ideas and principals of other artists. Both works do have their differences. Michelangelo s subject matter is one of a secular nature. It was done to honor Giuliano, who was not a godly or even mythological figure, but rather, a wealthy man of a well-known banking family who died in 1516.
This showed a step in a somewhat different direction for Michelangelo because most of his previous work was either of a religious or mythological character by nature, even though he would never abandon non-secular work. I think that Michelangelo s specific talent, although their are numerous, was how he completely revived and even broadened the human form. In the Tomb of Giuliano de Medici Wallace describes the body of Night as follows: The strangely muscular, masculinized body of Night is bent in impossible contortions; nonetheless, she maintains an air of perfect serenity. Poised ambiguously between sleep and wakefulness, she is more divine than human, more flesh than marble. (Pg 217) I think that this quote defines how Michelangelo s nude sculpture was unequivocal. He made the figures look as though they were alive enough to walk up behind and startle and, at the same time you did not want to because they looked too powerful and somehow above you in this world. The figure of Giuliano de Medici is very Roman-looking.
According to Mc Ham, Giuliano wears pseudo-Roman armor referring to the 1513 ceremony that granted him Roman citizenship. (Pg 215) I also noticed that the hair of Giuliano is in somewhat tight curls and looks very idealized, like the hair used in Ancient Roman times. The face also looks as though it is probably not a portrait. I compared this piece to an almost identical piece which is just on the opposite wall entitled Tomb of Lorenzo de Medici, both made by Michelangelo. Both Giuliano and Lorenzo have a type of face that has inclinations of Roman facial features, which are perfectly proportioned and beautiful. Michelangelo also makes Night and Day have the same type of idealized face. The bodies of Night and Day are very smooth and realistic, although they are larger than life size in proportion and in musculature.
According to Olsen, Night is in a troubled sleep. Her body is from a male model (as was a typical practice), while her breasts, which appear pasted on male pectorals, reveal that Michelangelo had little knowledge of female anatomy (although her abdomen suggests she has borne children). He also wanted to balance the sizes of Night and Day. If Night was done in proportion of woman to man, it would weaken the composition. Day is based on the Torso Belvedere, who is earthbound and his face is unfinished to convey that the day is yet forming. (Pg 128) I think that having these two figures sliding off the lid of the sarcophagus represents the resurrection of Giuliano, as if he is pushing the sarcophagus lid opened even as these massive figures sit upon it. After looking at many pictures of the Tomb of Giuliano de Medici, I realized that this piece is extraordinary in several ways.
It combines architecture and sculpture with an Ancient Roman influence. It also has a very ordered composition that is both a powerful message of resurrection, and representation of the figure in an intensely realistic and beautiful way. Michelangelo is definitely a master that may never be matched in capturing the human form. Throughout all of the pieces that he has done, I think that the Tomb of Giuliano de Medici is definitely a piece that should be considered a huge accomplishment in his career.
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