Allegory of Sculpture
Statue
ca. 1570 (made)
ca. 1570 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The statuette is a sketch model (or bozzetto) for the allegorical figure on the left-hand side of the tomb of Michelangelo in S. Croce, Florence.
The tomb was planned by Vincenzo Borghini and designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1564, shortly after Michelangelo's death. Each of the three figures representing Sculpture, Architecture and Painting, was assigned to a different artist.
The figure on the left, by Battista Lorenzi, was originally intended as Sculpture. It was already partially carved when Michelangelo's heirs asked for Sculpture to occupy the central position on the tomb. Lorenzi's figure (completed 1573) was therefore changed to represent Painting, but displays the attributes of both subjects. A terracotta sketch-model for the figure of Architecture by Giovanni Bandini (1540-99) is in the Sir John Soane Museum (inv. no. A. 58).
The tomb was planned by Vincenzo Borghini and designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1564, shortly after Michelangelo's death. Each of the three figures representing Sculpture, Architecture and Painting, was assigned to a different artist.
The figure on the left, by Battista Lorenzi, was originally intended as Sculpture. It was already partially carved when Michelangelo's heirs asked for Sculpture to occupy the central position on the tomb. Lorenzi's figure (completed 1573) was therefore changed to represent Painting, but displays the attributes of both subjects. A terracotta sketch-model for the figure of Architecture by Giovanni Bandini (1540-99) is in the Sir John Soane Museum (inv. no. A. 58).
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Allegory of Sculpture (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Terracotta |
Brief description | Terracotta sculpture of Allegory of Sculpture, made by Battista Lorenzi, Florence, ca. 1570 |
Physical description | Emblematical figure of Architecture, the left arm wanting. |
Dimensions |
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Object history | The statuette is a sketch model (or bozzetto) for the allegorical figure on the left-hand side of the tomb of Michelangelo in S. Croce, Florence. The tomb was planned by Vincenzo Borghini and designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1564, shortly after Michelangelo's death. Each of the three figures representing Sculpture, Architecture and Painting, was assigned to a different artist. The figure on the left, by Battista Lorenzi, was originally intended as Sculpture. It was already partially carved when Michelangelo's heirs asked for Sculpture to occupy the central position on the tomb. Lorenzi's figure (completed 1573) was therefore changed to represent Painting, but displays the attributes of both subjects. A terracotta sketch-model for the figure of Architecture by Giovanni Bandini (1540-99) is in the Sir John Soane Museum (inv. no. A. 58). |
Summary | The statuette is a sketch model (or bozzetto) for the allegorical figure on the left-hand side of the tomb of Michelangelo in S. Croce, Florence. The tomb was planned by Vincenzo Borghini and designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1564, shortly after Michelangelo's death. Each of the three figures representing Sculpture, Architecture and Painting, was assigned to a different artist. The figure on the left, by Battista Lorenzi, was originally intended as Sculpture. It was already partially carved when Michelangelo's heirs asked for Sculpture to occupy the central position on the tomb. Lorenzi's figure (completed 1573) was therefore changed to represent Painting, but displays the attributes of both subjects. A terracotta sketch-model for the figure of Architecture by Giovanni Bandini (1540-99) is in the Sir John Soane Museum (inv. no. A. 58). |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 4121-1854 |
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Record created | February 13, 2004 |
Record URL |
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