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322 STUDIO DRAWINGS AND DRAWINGS OF UNDETERMINED STATUS CATALOGUES 74–75would probably have been made – at least in part – towards
the end of Mini’s time with Michelangelo, which would
help account for its somewhat higher quality than most
of his drawings.History
William Young Ottley; Sir Thomas Lawrence (no stamp);
Samuel Woodburn.References
Woodburn,184 2,no. 60 (“[A]pparently from antique
bronzes, supposed to be drawn in the old age of M.
Angelo.”). Robinson,187 0,no. 79 (Michelangelo in
old age, but original inventions. Use of red chalk in
this period rare. Shortcomings in regard to propor-
tion are characteristic indications of senility.). Black,
1875 ,p. 215 ,no. 67. Gotti, 1875 ,II,p. 237. Berenson,
1903 ,I,p. 254 ,no. 1725 (Mini is “somewhat better
than I should expect of him.”). Thode, 1913 ,no. 451
(Seated figure perhaps by Michelangelo himself.). Beren-
son, 1935 ,p. 270 (Would now hesitate to give to Mini.).
Berenson, 1938 ,I,pp. 256 ,36 4,no. 1725 (“Excellent
copies after originals of about153 0....[T]oo good for
Mini, to whom I used to attribute them....[Perhaps]
Mini or someone else in the studio began this draw-
ing then the torso and thighs of...[B recto] were fin-
ished by Michelangelo himself.”). Parker, 1956 ,no.37 8
(“Connection with Mini...uncertain.” Both the faun
and the seated figure “show a certain impressiveness.”).
Dussler, 1959 ,no. 623 (Mini’s authorship uncertain.
No direct link with Michelangelo.). Berenson, 1961 ,
no. 1725 (As 1903 / 1938 .). Barocchi, 1962 ,pp. 215 –
17 , 225 , 228 (This drawing supports Mini’s authorship
of CB 37 F/B 170 ,CB 34 F/B 171 ,CB 53 F/B 174 /Corpus
229 bis, CB 74 F/B 177 ,CB 5 F/B18 0/Corpus 137 .). Perrig,
1999 ,p. 251 (Mini.).CATALOGUE 75antonio mini (1506-c. 1534)
Recto: A Pieta (fragmentary)`
Ve r so: Part of a Letter
184 6. 125 ;R. 48. 1 ;P.II37 8∗Dimensions: 83 × 72 mm, laid into a sheet 100 × 84 mmMedium
Pen and ink.Condition
The sheet is significantly fractured and disfigured from
ink burn-through; it has been extensively restored with
lining and crude infills on the major losses. There is fur-
ther surface disruption from burn-through and general
discolouration from haloing. A repair is discoloured and
skinned. Repair patches seem to be adhered on what has
been designated the recto. The edges have uneven surface
residues and some small folds.Numbering
In graphite: 7Transcription
The verso, in Michelangelo’s handwriting, is transcribed
byRobinson and Wilde:
(ci)nquata? duchati ̃
(v)e decto e facto dire...d
(c)homessione di darmela
ch(e) la decta provigione m...
papa ch(e) io n ̃ofasenza
mini, ch(e) sta mecho, voi mi
mi daresti c ̃etoearetelo? ecu...
(s)i n ̃o sapevi qu ̃ad(o) papa si
(com) ̃ıciata o chom ̃ıciassi, io vi
Schrivessi arroma e in
(fa) cessi...Discussion
The present drawing is executed with wavering lines and
is very probably by Antonio Mini, although some earlier
writers gave it to Michelangelo himself. It is difficult to
decipher, but it is clearly readable in Fisher’s pen copy in
his illustrated example of Robinson’s catalogue – it was
not included among his published etchings. It represents
a particularly dramatic and tormentedPieta`of a sort that
might at first sight more readily be associated with a trans-
alpine artist such as Grunewald, than with Michelangelo. ̈
But it was certainly copied – or more probably traced –
from a pen drawing made by Michelangelo around15 0 5.
The copies of this group (in London and Weimar), occur
on sheets that include several other copies of Michelan-
gelo sketches both lost and surviving; the originals of
some seem to have been made for theBattle of Cascina
and others, perhaps, for theMartyrdom of the Ten Thou-
sand. The present drawing demonstrates that Michelan-
gelo’s pupils had access to, and copied, earlier works by the
master as well as his immediately contemporary projects.
Robinson thought that the present fragment formed
part of another fragmentary sheet in the British Museum