For centuries, collectors and scholars believed there were no surviving bronze sculptures by the Renaissance genius Michelangelo. Has that narrative finally changed?
Monday July 6, 2015 was a monumental day for the art world as a panel of international experts presented papers that argued for and against the reattribution of the “Rothschild Bronzes” to Michelangelo. The pair of 16th-century sculptures, each depicting naked, bearded men riding panthers, have been attributed to a variety of sculptors, including Tiziano Aspetti, Jacopo Sansovino, and Benvenuto Cellini. Debate surrounding the sculptures began in February 2015.
(Michelangelo Buonarroti), “Nude Bacchants Riding Panthers” (detail), circa 1506-1508, bronze.
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
Scholars have suggested that the sculptures display a level of anatomical precision that is characteristic of the world’s most famous sculptor. Further, a drawing survives from one of Michelangelo’s students depicting what many believe to be the sculptures themselves. The July 6 symposium, which was held in the Howard Theatre, Downing College, Cambridge, England, included more than 10 presentations and roundtable discussions.
(Michelangelo Buonarroti), “Nude Bacchants Riding Panthers” (detail), circa 1506-1508, bronze.
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
The attribution is groundbreaking because no bronze sculptures by Michelangelo’s hand survive. Momentum appears to be in favor of a Michelangelo identification, but considerable debate remains, and the discussion will likely last for years to come.
To learn more about the symposium and the topics presented, visit the Fritz Museum.
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