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How Michelangelo's Slaves Travelled To France

A game of political rivalry and personal aspiration

By Kamna KirtiPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
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Rebellious Slave (detail). Source - Public Domain

Pope Julius II had a monumental dream - to build 40 life-size statues in his tomb.

For this ambitious project, the Pope chose Michelangelo.

He mapped out an iconographic plan where the lower level would be dedicated to man (slaves), the middle level to prophets and saints, and the top-level to angels directing the Pope to be out of his tomb on the day of the Last Judgement.

The original plan for the Tomb of Pope Julius II (Left) and Tomb of Pope Julius II (Right)

At the summit, Jesus and mother Mary would be guiding them all.

But Pope's plan could not come to fruition when he came up with another challenging task - remodeling St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.

Pope died in 1513 and his heirs kept badgering Michelangelo to complete the tomb.

After multiple alterations to the initial plan, the elaborate tomb, intended initially for St. Peters, was left with a structure set against a wall in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome.

During this process, Michelangelo created six statues called 'Slaves', four remained unfinished and the other two, Rebellious Slave and Dying Slave, are in Louvre.

The Rebellious Slave is chained. He seems distressed and looks upwards, wanting to escape the earthly realm. His body is twisted and his feet are rested on the raw marble stone, making us forget that this was once a piece of marble.

His anatomy looks heavier and broader in proportion than the dying slave.

The Dying Slave looks to be more in a trance state.

Does the Rebellious Slave personify Michelangelo and his disagreements with the church?

Rebellious Slave (Left) and Dying Slave (Right). Source - Public Domain

How did these Slaves come to France from Rome?

What was the political climate of that era - the relationship between the Medici's and Strozzi's?

Did Michelangelo have any hidden political undertone?

Let's discuss.

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Michelangelo's relationship with Roberto Strozzi

In 1544, Michelangelo felt seriously ill and people thought his death was near. His close companion Luigi del Riccio, a business manager to the Strozzi's, took him to their residence.

During recovery, Michelangelo bonded well with Roberto Strozzi.

Roberto Strozzi's business legacy goes back to his grandparents. They started a banking business in Florence and became one of the most flourished families before the Medici's.

While Michelangelo was deeply indebted to Strozzi's hospitality, the plan to put Slaves in the Tomb of Pope Julius II was called off.

Meanwhile, Michelangelo wrote a letter to Strozzi and del Ricci to be sent to the King of France, Francis I.

In a letter to Strozzi and del Ricci, he wrote - ''Remind the king . . . that if he would restore the liberty of Florence, Michelangelo would make a bronze equestrian statue of him in the Piazza della Signoria at his own expense.''

Did this letter reveal Michelangelo's hidden political agenda?

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Slaves traveled to France

In January 1546, Michelangelo became bedridden again. Considering his health and the political drama between the Medici's and Strozzi's, he gifted Slaves to Roberto Strozzi.

Strozzi took advantage of this generous gesture. To get Florence liberated from the Medici's, he transported Slaves on a ship to France in April 1550. It might have compensated Michelangelo's initial promise to Francis I, which couldn't be fulfilled.

We would never know.

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The gift that failed

Strozzi tried to hit two targets with one arrow.

He made Michelangelo happy by gifting his creation to the king of France and he served his hidden political agenda of making Florence liberated from the Medici's.

But Strozzi's desires seemed to be drowned when King Francis died in 1547 and Slaves were sent to Francis's son, Henri II.

Henri II didn't understand the initial motive and gifted the Slaves to Duke Anne de Montmorency, Constable of France (1493–1567).

Thus, the Slaves traveled to France.

It neither served the political aspirations of the Strozzi's nor Michelangelo.

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References

1. Michelangelo's Slaves and the Gift of Liberty

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My latest YouTube video is out. Have a look.

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About the Creator

Kamna Kirti

Art enthusiast. I engage with art at a deep level. I also share insights about entrepreneurship, founders & nascent technologies.

https://linktr.ee/kamnakirti

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