For years, Michelangelo’s Tondo Taddei has resided behind its protective glass at the Royal Academy of Arts (London). Against the white wall, it almost disappeared into oblivion. Nothing is more efficient than bad lighting to kill a work of art. Lit up with a huge number of small spotlights from every conceivable, Michelangelo’s extraordinary piece loses its power. After all, ‘’sculpture owes,’’ according to Leonardo da Vinci, ‘’its importance to light and shade,’’ hence requiring ‘’a certain light, that is from above.’’ Nevertheless, although by no means aided by its surroundings, the Tondo Taddei is still a captivating and forceful work. Widely written about, various questions have been raised tackling its subject matter and meanings; from a frightened Christ child, to the question if the central blob – held by St John the Baptist – actually is a robin or a goldfinch in front of the crown of thorns, or not. There is no doubt that the marble disk encourages wonder and fascination. As opposed being another attempt on deciphering its iconography and subject matter, the following text will rather take a look at the technical qualities of this work. Despite the fact that the disk, as so many other works of Michelangelo, often are perceived to be unfinished, the following essay will not only claim that the sculptor realised his intent, and that the work is indeed completed, but will discuss if its creation could have been as a response to Leonardo da Vinci’s somewhat demeaning accusations laid against sculpture, whilst claiming painting’s superiority.
39 pages, including footnotes, bibliography and list of (19) illustrations.
For years, Michelangelo’s Tondo Taddei has resided behind its protective glass at the Royal Academy of Arts (London). Against the white wall, it almost disappeared into oblivion. Nothing is more efficient than bad lighting to kill a work of art. Lit up with a huge number of small spotlights from every conceivable, Michelangelo’s extraordinary piece loses its power. After all, ‘’sculpture owes,’’ according to Leonardo da Vinci, ‘’its importance to light and shade,’’ hence requiring ‘’a certain light, that is from above.’’ Nevertheless, although by no means aided by its surroundings, the Tondo Taddei is still a captivating and forceful work. Widely written about, various questions have been raised tackling its subject matter and meanings; from a frightened Christ child, to the question if the central blob – held by St John the Baptist – actually is a robin or a goldfinch in front of the crown of thorns, or not. There is no doubt that the marble disk encourages wonder and fascination. As opposed being another attempt on deciphering its iconography and subject matter, the following text will rather take a look at the technical qualities of this work. Despite the fact that the disk, as so many other works of Michelangelo, often are perceived to be unfinished, the following essay will not only claim that the sculptor realised his intent, and that the work is indeed completed, but will discuss if its creation could have been as a response to Leonardo da Vinci’s somewhat demeaning accusations laid against sculpture, whilst claiming painting’s superiority.
39 pages, including footnotes, bibliography and list of (19) illustrations.
