A marble bust in a Rome cathedral is believed to be the work of Michelangelo, nearly 200 years after it was last associated with the Renaissance master.
Until the early 19th century, the sculpture of Jesus Christ in the Basilica of Sant’Agnès in Moura was believed to be the work of Michelangelo, after which its origin was believed to be by someone else. But it is reported Reuters“,” Italian independent researcher Valentina Salerno – a member of the Vatican’s commission for the celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo’s birth – has reattributed the sculpture to the Tuscan artist. ”
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At a press conference announcing the news, Franco Bergamin of the Lateran Canon General said: “We have lived here since 1412 and the monumental complex of Saint-Agnès always offers surprises, and this is one of them.”
Salerno’s claim stems from archival research into records, inventories and letters related to Michelangelo’s years in Rome. “I’m not an art historian—in fact, I don’t even have a college degree—but the strength of my research is its reliance on public archival documents,” she said.
Salerno continued: “When Michelangelo died, every powerful ruler wanted something from the master. But the artist carefully planned the transfer of the materials in his possession so that his art could be passed on to his students and thus to future generations.”
One of the documents she reviewed mentioned a safe room for Michelangelo’s artwork that could only be accessed using multiple keys, and her theory was that the bust of Jesus was part of a transfer of similar works. Regarding re-attribution, Reuters wrote: “The data that have emerged will form the basis of a wider attribution process aimed at gradually returning other forgotten works to Michelangelo’s hands and presenting the findings to the international academic community.”
Meanwhile, the owner of a painting in Belgium claims that a previously unattributed canvas is actually by Michelangelo – which, if true, is huge as only four other paintings are believed to be his. “The painting, a Pieta of the Virgin Mary holding the dead Christ, was inspected by journalists under strict confidentiality at an undisclosed location in Brussels,” the Belgian news agency reported.
After failing to sell at auction in 2020, the unattributed painting was acquired by its current owner, who “began further research after discovering two monograms shaped like a stylized ‘M’ on the painting.” Citing analysis including carbon dating, scientists at the Royal Institute of Heritage said the painting was likely painted between 1520 and 1660 – a claim with a 95.4 per cent probability. Michel Draguet, an art historian at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, said aspects of the painting suggest Michelangelo’s hand, including the sculptural composition, shadows on Christ’s legs and familiar contouring techniques from the artist’s other works.
But the painting’s history remains an open question. As Belga reports, “Experts stress that its attribution is uncertain. Researchers say more work needs to be done to trace the painting’s provenance and have it reviewed by recognized Michelangelo experts. By making the findings public, they hope to spark an international debate about the artwork’s true origins.”
