Existing comment:
The Tomb of Pope Julius II
Two monumental projects that exemplify Michelangelo's energy, ambition, and courage were commissioned by Pope Julius II: the Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes and the pope's marble tomb. Michelangelo's 40-year ordeal of completing the tomb ended in February 1545, when the present, scaled-down structure was unveiled in Rome (far from the papal majesty of Saint Peter's Basilica, the intended site).
Michelangelo labored most intensely on the design drawings and figure studies for the Julius monument between 1505 and 1520–25. The works gathered here served a variety of functions. Intended for the eyes of the patron, the demonstration drawing, or modello, of Michelangelo's early concept for the tomb is drawn in a clear and careful manner, with all details complete. In a quick sketch for a seated prophet, done for his own creative purposes, he improvised more freely. His magnificent life study for a slave is based on a muscular model (probably a workshop assistant).
Although Michelangelo's contracts forbade him from undertaking other projects while carving the tomb, he accepted a commission for the marble Christ the Redeemer for the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome in 1514. The only confirmed sheet of studies for this sculpture is on view. |