Michelangelo's Signature
Michelangelo signed only one work with his name, the "Pietà" in Saint Peter's Basilica. As his first public commission in Rome, the sculpture gave the young artist an opportunity to establish his reputation and public image. The band across the Virgin's chest serves no other func...
| Published in: | The sixteenth century journal |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sixteenth Century Journal Publishers, Inc.
2004
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| In: |
The sixteenth century journal
Year: 2004, Volume: 35, Issue: 2, Pages: 447-473 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | Michelangelo signed only one work with his name, the "Pietà" in Saint Peter's Basilica. As his first public commission in Rome, the sculpture gave the young artist an opportunity to establish his reputation and public image. The band across the Virgin's chest serves no other function than to hold Michelangelo's signature, which was not added as an afterthought as Vasari claimed in his 1568 biography of the artist. Although Michelangelo had carefully planned his inscription, its style of execution suggests letters that are spontaneously written, not carved. This effect calls attention to the artist's manual presence. Michelangelo also revived the ancient Greek use of the imperfect verb tense in his signature; Pliny the Elder had recalled that Apelles and Polyclitus used it. The separation of Michelangelo's name into two words, Michael Angelus, emphasizes his association with his namesake, Michael the Archangel, and introduces the image of the artist as a divinely inspired creator, who conveys God's messages and ideas as angels do. |
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| ISSN: | 2326-0726 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The sixteenth century journal
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/20476944 |