Michelangelo's rediscovered masterpieces at the Capitoline Museums


On display until May 7 at the Capitoline Museums are the front and back versions of two masterpieces by Michelangelo: the Sacrifice of Isaac and Cleopatra.

On display until May 7, 2017, in the Tapestry Room of the Capitoline Museums is a drawing made by the great Michelangelo that has never been exhibited to the public. It is a recent discovery that found on the back of The Sacrifice of Isaac, a work by Buonarroti from around 1530, a black pencil sketch depicting the same subject; the discovery was consequent to the removal of a backing that had the function of protecting the well-known drawing that is part of the collection of Casa Buonarroti. The artist had made a sketch on one side of the sheet and later, turning it over, traced it with a red pencil that is still visible.

In the exhibition"Michelangelo: rediscovered masterpieces" it is therefore possible to admire the two front and back versions of the Sacrifice of Isaac and the two front and back versions of another drawing by Michelangelo depicting Cleopatra (1535). The back version of the latter was similarly discovered in 1988.



The exhibition is curated by Pina Ragionieri, president of the Casa Buonarroti Foundation, with the organization of the MetaMorfosi Cultural Association and Zètema Progetto Cultura.

Source: Press release

Image: Michelangelo Buonarroti, Sacrifice of Isaac (c. 1530; black pencil, red pencil, pen ( recto ) black pencil ( verso ), mm 482 x 298; Florence, Casa Buonarroti, inv. 70 F)

Michelangelo's rediscovered masterpieces at the Capitoline Museums
Michelangelo's rediscovered masterpieces at the Capitoline Museums


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