Casa Buonarroti

The Madonna of the Stairs, also known as Madonna della scala, was first mentioned in the Giunti edition of Giorgio Vasari's Lives in 1568. It was revealed that the artwork had been recently donated by Leonardo Buonarroti to Duke Cosimo I, who esteemed it as unique. Prior to this donation, it is likely that the artwork remained in Michelangelo's house on Via Ghibellina. In 1616, it was returned to Michelangelo the Younger by Grand Duke Cosimo II as recognition for his efforts in glorifying his great forefather. Recent restoration work uncovered chiselling on the back of the marble tablet, possibly indicating the removal of a Medici seal. Vasari noted the connection between the Madonna of the Stairs and Donatello's work, highlighting Michelangelo's personal and intense relationship with Donatello. Despite its small size, the artwork exudes a monumental presence, with the female figure dominating the relief. The significance of the stairs and the children depicted remains ambiguous, with interpretations suggesting a pall. This early work portrays a distant mother, expressing a painful idea of motherhood that hinders a loving bond with her child. The date of the relief is debated, but the consensus leans towards around 1490, predating the Battle of the Centaurs.

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The earliest mention of the Battle of the Centaurs can be found in a letter written in 1527 by Giovanni Borromeo, the agent of the Gonzaga family in Florence. The letter was addressed to Federico, marquis of Mantua, who desired to acquire a Michelangelo artwork at any cost. It describes a marble picture of nude figures engaged in combat, measuring one and a half ells on each side. The work was started upon the request of Lorenzo the Magnificent, but remained unfinished. Ascanio Condivi's Vita di Michelagnolo Buonarroti, published in 1553, highlights Michelangelo's appreciation for this early masterpiece. The Battle of the Centaurs is associated with Lorenzo the Magnificent, and it has always been in the possession of the Buonarroti family. The subject and intention of the artwork remain the subject of ongoing debate, with Michelangelo's focus seemingly on conveying strength and action rather than illustrating a specific mythological episode. The relief was left incomplete, possibly due to Lorenzo the Magnificent's death in 1492.

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In 1515, shortly after assuming the papal throne, Leo X of the Medici family decided to visit Florence, where he proposed a competition to design a facade for San Lorenzo, a basilica patronized by the Medici. Michelangelo, along with other notable architects, participated in the contest. Initially assigned to supervise the sculptural decoration, Michelangelo eventually took charge of the architectural design as well. He faced the challenge of harmonizing the classical orders with the irregular facades of basilican churches. His innovative solution involved concealing the church's structure behind the grand facade of a private palace. Michelangelo's design underwent three phases, with the final drawing serving as the basis for the wooden model. Despite delays and changes in papal reign, the ambitious project was never completed.

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This terracotta sculpture, now unquestionably attributed to Michelangelo, holds a prominent place in the model collection at Casa Buonarroti. The first detailed mention of the artwork appears in the 1859 Casa Buonarroti inventory, created shortly after the Casa was made accessible to the public. The inventory, along with Angiolo Fabbrichesi's 1865 guide to the Casa, records four additional fragments, including two heads and an arm, alongside the model known as "Hercules and Cacus." These fragments were displayed together in the late-nineteenth century, as captured in a photograph by Brogi. It wasn't until 1926 that the restorer Enrico Massai reassembled the heads and arm, guided by Andrea Commodi's drawings. However, the missing right arm remains unresolved. The sculpture has been associated with a Medici commission for a large-scale Hercules and Cacus statue, but Wilde proposed a link to the tomb of Julius II. Another replica exists at the Victoria and Albert Museum, lacking the head and left arm.

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This well-known and widely-reproduced drawing from Casa Buonarroti is recognized as a study for the central group of bathing youths in the Battle of Cascina. The fresco was commissioned by the Florentine Signoria, competing with Leonardo's Battle of Anghiari for the Sala del Maggior Consiglio in Palazzo Vecchio. However, neither artwork was completed. In folio 613 E at the Uffizi, a sketch reveals the figure within the group of running men in the background on the left. A monochrome panel copy by Aristotele da Sangallo in 1542 suggests that Michelangelo later removed this figure. Wilde suggested a connection to ancient art, likening the composition to figures on a Roman sarcophagus depicting Hercules' labors. Michelangelo used the same sheet for notes and expenses related to his nephew Leonardo in 1528.

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This intriguing drawing, crafted through the unconventional method of gluing two paper sheets together, has been referred to as a "cartoon." However, it does not appear to serve as a preliminary sketch for any known work by Michelangelo or any artist associated with him. Nevertheless, it is fascinating to interpret this unique artwork, which stands apart from Michelangelo's usual drawing style, as a contemplation on the agonizing aspects of motherhood that hindered the establishment of a genuine bond with the child—a theme that deeply occupied the artist's mind.

Notably, the drawing initially depicted the Madonna's face in profile, with her eyes cast downward towards the child. This portrayal echoed a tradition of tender maternal love, which the artist, in various instances, rejected from his mentors, opting instead for a dramatic absence of connection. The current depiction of the mother presents a posture and expression completely detached from the infant at her breast, with a gaze that drifts towards a vision of future misfortunes.

From a psychological and thematic standpoint, this enigmatic gaze had already been explored by the young Michelangelo in the Madonna della scala. However, the idea evolved stylistically over time, culminating in the enigmatic Madonna in the New Sacristy, which shares undeniable resemblances with this drawing and affirms its proposed dating.

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