The Drawings of Michelangelo and His Followers in the Ashmolean Museum

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262 WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY AUTOGRAPH SHEETS CATALOGUES 54–55

exterior dome and lantern at a smaller scale (the ribs and

lantern base may be seen just above the platform of the

larger drawing). The principal study shows the profiles of

the exterior and interior domes as they near the oculus.

Although it is difficult to be sure, the main lines may rep-

resent the upper portions of hemispherical domes. (The

other paired lines, apparently more elevated and ending

under the oculus, may be representations of successive

ribs beyond the section.) The wall thickness of the oculus

shown, as well as a window sill or balustrade, indicat-

ing openings from the space between the shells into the

space of the oculus. The platform above the oculus is sin-

gle and thick, resembling somewhat the platform of the

lantern in the central study of the sheet in Haarlem, but

with less space for an exterior walkway. The height of the

lantern and its heavy entablature suggest that if columns

or pilasters were intended for the lantern, they would have

rested directly in the platform and not on pedestals. The

width of the base of the cone atop the lantern suggests

that the lantern had only two stages, or was a three stage

lantern with a low second stage, as at the upper left of the

drawing in Haarlem.”). Contardi, 1990 ,p. 330 (Recto:

155 7; “shows a hemispheric external cap.”); pp. 335 ,34 9

(Verso: sketches for St. Peter’s and perhaps San Giovanni

dei Fiorentini; no reason to relate them to the Sforza

Chapel.). Carpiceci, 1991 ,pp. 67 , 75 (Recto: analysis and

graphic analysis, fig. 69 ; dated15 6 0– 61 .); pp. 96 , 98 – 9

(Verso: drawn before the beginning of the letter on the

recto. Studies, datable155 9– 60 ,for the Sforza Chapel

[elevations: A, J, H; plans: B, D] and for the Sforza Chapel

or San Giovanni dei Fiorentini [B, C, E?, F, G] and for San

Giovanni dei Fiorentini [K].). Millon and Lambugnani,

1994 ,no. 406 (As Millon and Smyth, 1988 .). Fara, 1997 ,

p. 20 (Verso: “Michelangelo...insieme a studi plani-

metrici e di elevazione, ha delineato, anche se in maniera

non puntualmente referibile a San Giovanni dei Fioren-

tini, un profile di cupola rialzato sostenuto da colonne

libere con un corridoio esterno che serve da contrafforte”

[i.e., K].).

CATALOGUE 55

Recto: Design for Window

Ve r so: Studies for the Drum of St. Peter’s and Other

Architectural Projects; A Right Arm and Shoulder Seen

from the Front

184 6. 79 ;R. 81 ;P.II 333 ;Corpus 589

Dimensions: 419 × 277 mm

Medium

Recto: Wash and white heightening over black chalk,

employed both free hand and ruled; some later re-

drawing.

Ve r so: Black chalk.

Condition

There is an uneven horizontal crease and extensive repairs.

There are major edge tear repairs and infills, including

an infill strip at the lower left corner. There is a minor

infilled edge nick, abraded margins, and skinning. The

sheet has extensive uneven discolouration and ingrained

surface dirt.

Description

Recto

Window with very elaborate carving, modified into a

door.

Verso

A.A summary elevation of the drum of St. Peter’s in two

bays comprising a plinth, and a pedestal zone, an arch,

surmounted by a widow with a triangular pediment, sep-

arated by paired columns from another bay with a win-

dow with triangular pediment, surmounted by an attic

zone.

With the right edge as base

B.Aright shoulder and arm, seen frontally.

C.Two curved chapels in plan separated by a straight

wall with two columns in front of it and one at either

side.

D.Directly below C, a curved wall, a short straight wall

with two columns indicated.

E.Directly above C, a curved wall, partly drawn over A.

With the top edge as base

To p line

F. A detailed study of the elevation of the attic zone of A

together with the plan for the double columns at entab-

lature zone shown on the same plane. The attic zone

is decorated with a simplified garland. The entablature

zone of the columns comprises two statue bases and two

balustrades.

Second line

G.A detail of F in profile, with the balustrade, the statue

on its base and the pilaster of the attic zone.

H.A close up sketch of two pilasters of the attic zone of

A and F.