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The ''Importuno di Michelangelo'' ("The Nuisance by Michelangelo") is the profile of a man's head carved on the façade of
Palazzo Vecchio
The ( "Old Palace") is the town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the , which holds a copy of Michelangelo's ''David'' statue, and the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi.
Originally called the ''Palazzo della Signoria'', a ...
in Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
, recently attributed to the artist Michelangelo Buonarroti
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspi ...
by Adriano Marinazzo. This new hypothesis has been published in the Italian art magazine '' Art e Dossier''.
History
The reason for this profile is unknown. An old popular legend links it to the artistMichelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...
. He allegedly sculpted it to ridicule someone he found bothersome (hence ''Importuno di Michelangelo'', "The Nuisance by Michelangelo").
The new hypothesis
The new hypothesis on Michelangelo's possible involvement in the creation of the profile ofPalazzo Vecchio
The ( "Old Palace") is the town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the , which holds a copy of Michelangelo's ''David'' statue, and the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi.
Originally called the ''Palazzo della Signoria'', a ...
is based on the strong resemblance of the latter to a profile drawn by Michelangelo in the early 16th century now at the Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
. The profile was probably sculpted with the permission of the city authorities. The façade of Palazzo Vecchio was constantly guarded. Therefore its author enjoyed a certain consideration and freedom of action.
The sculpted profile style is consistent with that of the head profiles drawn by Michelangelo in the early years of the 16th century. Consequently, the portrait of Palazzo Vecchio should also be dated to the beginning of the 16th century; its execution would coincide with the placement in 1504 of Michelangelo's David
David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament.
The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
to the left of the Palazzo Vecchio's entrance.
Reception
The new hypothesis received immediate attention from scholars and the international media.The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
reported this news on the front page "The attribution of a new Michelangelo would be significant, particularly one hiding in plain sight." Further articles were published by Le Figaro
() is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It was named after Figaro, a character in several plays by polymath Pierre Beaumarchais, Beaumarchais (1732–1799): ''Le Barbier de Séville'', ''The Guilty Mother, La Mère coupable'', ...
, The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are often names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* The Telegraph (Adelaide), ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaid ...
, Die Presse
(, ) is a German-language daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vienna, Austria. It is considered a newspaper of record for Austria.
History and profile
was first printed on 3 July 1848 as a liberal (libertarian)-bourgeois newspaper within the ...
, Smithsonian Magazine
''Smithsonian'' is a magazine covering science, history, art, popular culture and innovation. The first issue was published in 1970.
History
The history of ''Smithsonian'' began when Edward K. Thompson, the retired editor of ''Life'' magazine ...
, Artnet News, and others.
See also
* List of works by MichelangeloReferences
External links
* {{Authority control Tourist attractions in Florence Hardstone carving Works by Michelangelo Sculptures by Michelangelo