DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51585#0056
52
EARLY ITALIAN PAINTERS.
the idea of consecrating a chapel in the church of
San Lorenzo, to receive the tombs of his ancestors
and relations, and which should be adorned with
all the splendours of art, Michael Angelo planned
and built the chapel, and for its interior decoration
designed and executed six of his greatest works in
sculpture. Two are seated statues : one represent-
ing Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino, who
died young, in 1519, living only to be the father
of Catherine de’ Medici (and, as it has been well
said, “ had an evil spirit assumed the human shape
to propagate mischief, he could not have done bet-
ter”) ; the other opposite, his cousin Giuliano
de’ Medici, who was as weak as Lorenzo was
vicious. The other four are colossal recumbent
figures, entitled the Night, the Morning, the Dawn,
and the Twilight; though why so called, and why
these figures were introduced in such a situation—
what was the intention, the meaning of the artist
—does not seem to be understood by any of the
critics on art who have written on the subject.
The statue of Lorenzo is almost awful in its sullen
grandeur. He looks down in a contemplative atti-
tude ; hence the appellation by which the figure is
known in Italy—Il Pensiero (Thought or Me-
ditation). But there is mischief in the look-
something vague, ominous—difficult to be de-
scribed. Altogether it well jiigh realizes our idea
of Milton’s Satan, brooding over his infernal plans
EARLY ITALIAN PAINTERS.
the idea of consecrating a chapel in the church of
San Lorenzo, to receive the tombs of his ancestors
and relations, and which should be adorned with
all the splendours of art, Michael Angelo planned
and built the chapel, and for its interior decoration
designed and executed six of his greatest works in
sculpture. Two are seated statues : one represent-
ing Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino, who
died young, in 1519, living only to be the father
of Catherine de’ Medici (and, as it has been well
said, “ had an evil spirit assumed the human shape
to propagate mischief, he could not have done bet-
ter”) ; the other opposite, his cousin Giuliano
de’ Medici, who was as weak as Lorenzo was
vicious. The other four are colossal recumbent
figures, entitled the Night, the Morning, the Dawn,
and the Twilight; though why so called, and why
these figures were introduced in such a situation—
what was the intention, the meaning of the artist
—does not seem to be understood by any of the
critics on art who have written on the subject.
The statue of Lorenzo is almost awful in its sullen
grandeur. He looks down in a contemplative atti-
tude ; hence the appellation by which the figure is
known in Italy—Il Pensiero (Thought or Me-
ditation). But there is mischief in the look-
something vague, ominous—difficult to be de-
scribed. Altogether it well jiigh realizes our idea
of Milton’s Satan, brooding over his infernal plans