Michelangelo, Medici Chapel (New Sacristy)

Summary

The script explores the Medici Chapel in Florence, an unfinished funerary chapel by Michelangelo. Known as the New Sacristy, it contrasts with Brunelleschi's Old Sacristy and serves as a dressing place for priests at San Lorenzo church. Michelangelo's architectural prowess is highlighted, with the space embodying strength and confusion through blind windows, symbolizing the transition from earthly to heavenly realms. The figures of Night, Day, Dawn, and Dusk, alongside the Medici effigies, demonstrate Michelangelo's pursuit of ideal beauty and the passage of time, with a poem by the artist adding a layer of depth to the narrative.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The Medici Chapel, also known as the New Sacristy, is a funerary chapel in Florence designed by Michelangelo but remains unfinished, leaving the full extent of his vision unknown.
• 👥 It is an appendage to the Old Sacristy, designed by Brunelleschi, and both are part of the church of San Lorenzo, serving as places for priests to dress before mass.
• 🕊️ San Lorenzo was the parish church of the Medici family, with four Medici members buried in the New Sacristy.
• 🎨 Michelangelo was responsible for various projects at San Lorenzo, including the Laurentian Library, under the patronage of two Medici popes, Leo the 10th and Clement the Seventh.
• 📏 The New Sacristy's architecture is primarily square with a taller square apse, reflecting Michelangelo's use of height to add a layer of grandeur to the space.
• 🏗️ Michelangelo's architectural approach in the chapel is expressive, using forms that are more sculptural than functional, with many blind windows creating a sense of confusion and ambiguity.
• 🕯️ The chapel's design suggests a transition from an earthly, ambiguous realm to a heavenly one, symbolized by the use of circles and semicircles at the top of the space.
• 🗝️ The figures of Night and Day, Dawn and Dusk frame the effigies of Giuliano and Lorenzo de' Medici, representing the passage of time and the contemplation of life and death.
• 💃 The figure of Night is depicted in an impossibly twisted pose, showcasing Michelangelo's ability to create elegance through the depiction of the human body in extreme positions.
• 🌅 The figure of Giuliano de' Medici is considered one of the most beautiful in art history, capturing Michelangelo's quest for ideal beauty and elegance.
• 📜 Michelangelo's poetic side is evident in the chapel, with a poem associated with it that speaks to the themes of life, death, and the eternal impact of the Medici dukes.

Q & A

What is the Medici Chapel in Florence?

The Medici Chapel, also known as the New Sacristy, is a funerary chapel designed by Michelangelo in Florence, Italy. It is unfinished and is part of the church of San Lorenzo, which was the parish church of the Medici family.

Who designed the Old Sacristy in San Lorenzo?

The Old Sacristy in San Lorenzo was designed by Brunelleschi and serves as a place where priests would dress before saying the mass.

How many Medici family members are buried in the New Sacristy?

There are four Medici family members buried in the New Sacristy designed by Michelangelo.

What was Michelangelo's role in the projects at San Lorenzo?

Michelangelo was the sculptor and architect for the projects at San Lorenzo, including the New Sacristy and the Laurentian Library. He also intended to be the painter, but the frescoes were never initiated.

Which two Medici popes were involved in Michelangelo's projects at San Lorenzo?

Pope Leo the 10th and Pope Clement the Seventh, both Medici popes, were involved in Michelangelo's projects at San Lorenzo.

What is the primary shape of the New Sacristy?

The New Sacristy is primarily a square with a square apse where the altar is located.

How does Michelangelo's architecture in the New Sacristy differ from Brunelleschi's Old Sacristy?

Michelangelo's New Sacristy adds another layer of height compared to Brunelleschi's Old Sacristy and is characterized by the strength and power of architectural forms that are more expressive than functional.

What is the significance of the blind windows in the New Sacristy?

The blind windows in the New Sacristy create a sense of confusion and ambiguity, possibly symbolizing the idea of purgatory, a place of entrapment and uncertainty.

What is the subject of the frescoes that were supposed to be in the New Sacristy?

The subject of the frescoes that were supposed to be in the New Sacristy was the resurrection, which is fitting for a funerary chapel.

What are the four allegorical figures that frame the effigies in the New Sacristy?

The four allegorical figures are Night and Day, which frame the effigy of Giuliano de'Medici, and Dawn and Dusk, which frame the effigy of Lorenzo de'Medici.

How does the figure of Night in the New Sacristy differ from typical Renaissance representations of the human body?

The figure of Night is elongated and twisted in an impossible way, with an unnatural position that contrasts with the typical Renaissance focus on perfect human proportions.

What is the significance of the polished and finished appearance of the figure of Night compared to the figure next to her?

The highly polished and finished appearance of the figure of Night emphasizes her elegance and contrasts with the unfinished state of the other figures, highlighting Michelangelo's artistic intentions and the passage of time.

What is the relationship between the figures of Day and Night in the New Sacristy?

The figures of Day and Night are complementary, with their arms and legs positioned in opposite directions, symbolizing the opposition and balance between the two.

What is the significance of the figure of Lorenzo de'Medici being in shadow?

The figure of Lorenzo de'Medici being in shadow may represent the contemplative life, in contrast to his cousin Giuliano, who represents the active life.

What is the theme of the poem associated with the New Sacristy?

The poem associated with the New Sacristy, written by Michelangelo, speaks from the perspective of Day and Night, reflecting on the death of Giuliano de'Medici and the idea of revenge through the eternal rest his closed eyes impose on the world.