P 1 : KsF
0521551331 c 01 -p 2 CUNY 160 /Joannides 052155 133 1 January 11 , 2007 10 : 5
CATALOGUES 41–42 WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY AUTOGRAPH SHEETS 213References
William Young Ottley (his sale? 11 April 1804 , part of
lot 274 , “One ditto [i.e., One leaf ] containing several
studies of attitudes for the Last Judgment, and a study
for the Annunciation, all in black chalk, from ditto [i.e.,
Casa Buonarroti]”.). Woodburn,184 2,no. 54 (“A pen-
timento of arms and leg – in black chalk.”). Robin-
son,187 0,no. 67 (“The writer is not able to iden-
tify them as for any particular work; in general style of
design, however, they seem to resemble the Last Judge-
ment study” [Cat. 42 ].). Black, 1875 ,p. 215 ,no. 57.
Gotti, 1875 , II, p. 233. Berenson, 1903 ,no.15 7 0(Recto:
“of small importance but may be Michelangelo’s.” Per-
haps for a Risen Christ, c. 1535 .); no. 1724 (Verso: fol-
lower of Michelangelo.). K. Frey, 1909 – 11 , nos. 195 , 196
(Recto and verso authentic; period ofLast Judgement.).
Thode, 1913 ,no. 440 (Recto and verso authentic; period
ofLast Judgement.). Brinckmann, 1925 ,no. 27 (15 0 9–
10 , forGod the Father Separating Light from Darkness.).
Popp, 1925 b,p. 74 (Not Michelangelo.). Berenson, 1938 ,
no.15 7 0(Recto.); no. 1724 (Verso.) (As 1903 .). Wilde,
1953 exh., no. 122 (c.15 4 5– 50 ). Parker, 1956 ,no. 329
(Later153 0s;15 4 5– 50 “seems unaccountably late.”). Dus-
sler, 1959 ,no. 629 (Rejected. Recto and verso by the
same hand, perhaps a pupil making use of Michelan-
gelo’s drawings of the153 0s.). De Tolnay, 1960 ,pp. 198 – 9 ,
no. 204 (“[A]uthenticity...not...established.” If ori-
ginal, of Paolina period.). Berenson, 1961 ,no.15 7 0
(Recto: as 1903 / 1938 .); no. 1724 (Verso: as 1903 / 1938 .).
Hartt, 1971 ,no. 382 (Recto: 1534 – 5. The arm for the right
arm of Christ in theLast Judgement; “the thigh, but not the
lower leg, was utilised for the first of the group of martyrs
seated at the extreme right.”); no. 71 (Verso:151 0?. Study
for the right arm of Adam in the SistineExpulsion.). Gere
and Turner, 1975 ,no. 146 (Unconnected with a known
work.). De Tolnay, 1978 , Corpus III, no.36 2 (Recto:
Michelangelo, c.15 4 5.Verso: weaker than recto, but prob-
ably autograph and contemporary.). Perrig, 1999 ,pp. 224 ,
238 (Recto and verso: by Clovio; part of Farnese group.).CATALOGUE 42Recto: A Man Rising from the Tomb
Ve r so: Studies of Legs
184 6. 76 ;R. 58 ;P.II 330 ; Corpus 361
Dimensions: 216 × 266 mm
Watermark: Robinson Appendix no. 11. Roberts Anchor
F. Briquet 527 ,Verona,155 8.Medium
Black chalk.Condition
There is uneven pulp. An unevenly cut triangular strip is
at the left edge. There is a pressed-out horizontal fold with
associated abrasion and ingrained dirt. There are several
indents, tears and losses, abrasion, infills, and skinning.
The sheet has widespread discolouration, local foxing,
and surface dirt.Inscription
Ve r so: Lower right: Robinson’s numbering in graphite:
58.Description
Verso
A figure seen in foreshortening; traces of pouncing.Discussion
The recto was made for the figure at the lower left of the
Last Judgementwho forces himself up from the ground.
It is very close in form to the figure as executed and
wasprobably made shortly before the preparation of the
cartoon. Given Michelangelo’s habit of revising, it is likely
that this drawing was made only in the later stages of work,
probably not much before the end of the153 0s.
The artist has concentrated on the musculature of the
shoulders expressing the figure’s volition and self-help.
The head is no more than outlined, since it was only a
subsidiary instrument of expression, to act in adjunct to
the symphony of the body. This is very much the mode
of the resolved figure-studies for theLast Judgement,but
the drawings made in the final stages of work such as
the present one and a companion in the British Museum
(W 63 /Corpus36 0;black chalk, 293 × 233 mm) have a
weight and density, combined with clarity, which places
them among Michelangelo’s highest graphic achieve-
ments. It is worth noting that both contain a series of small
circles on the most convex parts of the figure. This feature
is also found on some earlier drawings, such as that for the
Hamanin the British Museum (W 13 recto/Corpus 163 ;
redchalk, 406 × 207 mm) as first noted by Woodburn in
his catalogue entry of 1836 for that drawing (no. 36 ). Hirst
has suggested that it may have been one of Michelangelo’s
waysofreminding himself of those parts of his figures that
required particular plastic emphasis; alternatively, it may
indicate areas of greatest highlight.
The study of the figure’s right hand and wrist at
the bottom of the page shows a broader and more
emphatic form, which increases the figure’s power. This