What is the new claim about the Christ the Saviour bust?

Independent researcher Valentina Salerno claims newly discovered archive documents suggest the marble bust of Christ the Saviour in Rome's Sant'Agnese fuori le mura church could be a secret work by Michelangelo.

What evidence supports the Michelangelo attribution for the bust?

Valentina Salerno has presented archive documents suggesting the bust was stored in a secret room intended by Michelangelo. Documentation following his death also attributed the sculpture to him, and historical figures like JMW Turner and Stendhal believed it was his work.

What do art historians say about the bust's authenticity?

Many art historians, including Professor Francesco Caglioti, remain skeptical, stating the bust lacks Michelangelo's distinctive style and quality, though they acknowledge the usefulness of Salerno's archival research.

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Michelangelo Bust: Secret Work Unearthed?

11 Mar

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Summary

New documents suggest a church bust may be Michelangelo's work.
Researcher claims documents point to a hidden artist's studio.
Art experts remain divided on the bust's attribution.

Michelangelo Bust: Secret Work Unearthed?

A marble bust of Christ the Saviour, a fixture in Rome's Sant'Agnese fuori le mura church since 1590, is now the subject of a significant art historical debate. Independent researcher Valentina Salerno has presented newly discovered archive documents suggesting the sculpture could be a secret work by the Renaissance master Michelangelo. Salerno's findings, published on academia.edu, propose that the bust was stored in a hidden room, alongside other drawings and sculptures, as per Michelangelo's instructions.

This revelation challenges the prevailing theory that Michelangelo destroyed his creations before his death. Salerno, a fiction author and actor with a law school background, has spent over a decade examining Italian and Vatican archives for details of Michelangelo's final years in Rome. She believes the documents point to a secret stash intended to protect his works from disliked relatives, with contents later transferred to various institutions.