The Drawings of Michelangelo and His Followers in the Ashmolean Museum

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0521551331 c 01 -p 3 a CUNY 160 /Joannides 052155 133 1 January 11 , 2007 10 : 18

254 WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY AUTOGRAPH SHEETS CATALOGUES 53–54

dome of St. Peter’s; perhaps Mary Magdalen. Has also

been connected with anEntombmentcomposition.); no.

505 (Recto:15 4 6; Apostle for dome of St. Peter’s.). Gere

and Turner, 1975 ,no.15 4(Same period asEpifania,but

not necessarily connected.). Joannides, 1975 ,p. 262 (With

[Cats. 51 and 52 and Washington 1991. 217. 2 a- 3 b], per-

haps for theEntombmentrecorded in the ex–Gathorne-

Hardy copy drawing; the date may be c.15 6 0 because

the architectural sketches here recall the Porta Pia). De

Tolnay, 1978 , Corpus III, no. 430 (Recto: with [Cats. 51

and 52 and Washington 1991. 217. 2 a- 3 b], probably for a

Pieta`recorded in copies attributed to Jacomo del Duca,

formerly Gathorne-Hardy Collection and Giulio Clovio,

Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum. Verso: lower quality, per-

haps by Jacomo del Duca.). Perrig, 1999 ,pp. 239 – 40 (By

Ascanio Condivi; from Farnese Collection.).

CATALOGUE 54

Recto: The Lantern and Cupola of St Peter’s; The Begin-

ning of a Letter

Ve r so: Architectural Ground Plans, Elevations, and

Sections

184 6. 90 ;R. 82 ;P.II34 4;Corpus 601

Dimensions: 250 × 402 mm; a vertical fold down the sheet

some 160 mm from the left edge was probably made by

the artist to isolate the recto drawing.

Medium

Recto: Black chalk; the fragment of the letter in pen and

ink; some offsetting at upper right, from an unidentified

source.

Ve r so: Black chalk.

Condition

There are three vertical pressed-out folds, minor tear

repairs, and several infilled holes. There is a minor edge

repair infill, unevenly skinned, and discoloured edge mar-

gins. Severe fractures from ink burn-through have been

supported on the verso; there is much bleeding of the

inscription. There are small ink splatters, accretions, some

skinning, and a small hole. The sheet has uneven dis-

colouration and offset.

Description and Transcription

Recto

With the right edge as base, in Michelangelo’s hand:

Messer francesco signior mio caro Circa almodello che s[i]a

/afare e mi pare che col cardinale si sia facto una figura/

se[n]za capo

With the lower edge as base

A section through the upper portion of the inner and

outer shells of the dome planned for St. Peter’s, showing

the oculus, the platform at the apex of the outer shell, and

the rough outline of a cylindrical lantern, perhaps articu-

lated by wide pilasters or columns, topped by a platform

matching that at its base and surmounted by a curved

cone. Different curvatures are shown for both outer and

inner shells, although it is uncertain whether at least two

of these might be interpreted as ribs. An interior gallery

may be indicated at the base of the oculus.

Verso

With the lower edge as base

To p r o w

A.The ground plan of two semi- or three-quarter-

circular chapels joined by a straight wall articulated with

columns at either corner, oriented vertically down the

sheet, overlapping D.

B.Adevelopment of A, drawn on a larger scale, oriented

horizontally across the top of the sheet, with, apparently,

columns on both sides of the corners, one of which is

bevelled. This partly overlaps C.

C.The plan of a circular building with eight three-

quarter-circular chapels contained within the circle,

revised to include four cross-axes and four chapels. The

chapels partly overlap one another.

Second row

D.A chapel in elevation up to cornice level. It contains

four tall round-topped niches and, above these, a large

rectangular panel, oriented horizontally. It seems to be

framed by paired giant pilasters supporting a heavy cor-

nice, which breaks forward above them.

E.Avariant corner solution of B, in plan, showing

columns on either side with, possibly, seats at their

bases.

Third row

F. Arough plan of a Greek cross church, with slightly

longer horizontal arms, with apsidal ends.

Fourth row

G.Arough plan of a Greek cross church, with slightly

longer horizontal arms, with square ends and round

chapels situated between the arms.

Fifth row

H.A chapel in elevation up to dome level. It contains

three flat-topped niches, a heavy wide cornice with a