The Sleeping Cupid is a now-lost sculpture created by Renaissance artist Michelangelo, which he artificially aged to make it look like an antique on the advice of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco in order to sell for a higher price. It was this sculpture which first brought him to the attention of patrons in Rome.[1]
Michelangelo began working on his sleeping cupid in 1495, in Florence, Italy. It was never said by Michelangelo as to why he carved a sculpture of a cupid, but it is known that he studied a sculpture in the Medici Gardens that contained a sleeping cupid.[2] Michelangelo's work was described by Ascanio Condivi, Italian Painter, as, "a god of love, aged six or seven years old and asleep".[3]
Descriptionedit
Michelangelo created the sculpture and then passed it onto a dealer, Baldassare del Milanese. Eventually the sleeping cupid was bought by Cardinal Riario of San Giorgio, controversy arose when he discovered the statue was falsely aged[4] and demanded his money back. However, Michelangelo was permitted to keep his share of the money.[5][6] When Michelangelo offered to take the sculpture back from Baldassare when he learned how much money he made off of selling it, Baldassare refused, saying, "he would rather break it into a hundred pieces; he had bought the child, and it was his property".[2]
The Sleeping Cupid was a significant work in establishing the reputation of the young Michelangelo, who was 21 at the time.[7] The sculpture was later donated by Cesare Borgia to Isabella d'Este, and was probably collected by Charles I of England when all the Gonzaga collections were bought and taken to London in the seventeenth century.[5]
It was previously impossible to attempt to identify Michelangelo's cupid, until Paul Norton's proposal that Michelangelo's work may be in the Album of Busts and Statues in Whitehall.[8] This led to one of the cupids on the album to be thought to be Michelangelo's lost cupid, as the description matches quite well. But it is still unknown if this is the exact one Michelangelo created, as there is no record the statue after the original sale.[2]
Destructionedit
In 1698, the Sleeping Cupid was most likely destroyed in the great fire in the Palace of Whitehall, London along with many other fine works of art.[5] It is unknown what happened to the sculpture.
^Entry on "Cupid," The Classical Tradition (Harvard University Press, 2010), p. 245; Stefania Macioe, "Caravaggio and the Role of Classical Models," in The Rediscovery of Antiquity: The Role of the Artist (Collegium Hyperboreum, 2003), pp. 437–438.
^ abcNorton, Paul F. (1957). "The Lost Sleeping Cupid of Michelangelo". The Art Bulletin. 39 (4): 251–257. doi:10.2307/3047727. ISSN 0004-3079. JSTOR 3047727.
^Hirst, Michael (1994). The young Michelangelo. Michelangelo Buonarroti, Jill Dunkerton, National Gallery. London: National Gallery Publications. ISBN1-85709-066-7. OCLC 31536939.
^"Sleeping Cupid by Michelangelo". www.michelangelo.net. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^ abcSheila Gibson Stoodley (August 2008). "Misadventures in Collecting". Arts and Antiques.[permanent dead link]
^"Michelangelo's Cupid". Museum of Hoaxes. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
^Deborah Parker, Michelangelo and the Art of Letter Writing (Cambridge University Press, 2010), p. 11; Rona Goffen, Renaissance Rivals: Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Titian (Yale University Press, 2002, 2004), p. 95.
^Rubinstein, Ruth (1986). "Michelangelo's Lost Sleeping Cupid and Fetti's Vertumnus and Pomona". Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes. 49: 257–259. doi:10.2307/751307. ISSN 0075-4390. JSTOR 751307. S2CID 195042110.
This article about a sculpture in the United Kingdom is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
sleeping, cupid, michelangelo, sleeping, cupid, lost, sculpture, created, renaissance, artist, michelangelo, which, artificially, aged, make, look, like, antique, advice, lorenzo, pierfrancesco, order, sell, higher, price, this, sculpture, which, first, brough. The Sleeping Cupid is a now lost sculpture created by Renaissance artist Michelangelo which he artificially aged to make it look like an antique on the advice of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco in order to sell for a higher price It was this sculpture which first brought him to the attention of patrons in Rome 1 Sleeping CupidGiulio Romano s Young Jupiter in National Gallery London possibly contains a citation of Michelangelo s Sleeping CupidArtistMichelangeloYear1496Preceded byAngel Michelangelo Followed byBacchus Michelangelo Contents 1 Creation 2 Description 3 Destruction 4 See also 5 ReferencesCreation editMichelangelo began working on his sleeping cupid in 1495 in Florence Italy It was never said by Michelangelo as to why he carved a sculpture of a cupid but it is known that he studied a sculpture in the Medici Gardens that contained a sleeping cupid 2 Michelangelo s work was described by Ascanio Condivi Italian Painter as a god of love aged six or seven years old and asleep 3 Description editMichelangelo created the sculpture and then passed it onto a dealer Baldassare del Milanese Eventually the sleeping cupid was bought by Cardinal Riario of San Giorgio controversy arose when he discovered the statue was falsely aged 4 and demanded his money back However Michelangelo was permitted to keep his share of the money 5 6 When Michelangelo offered to take the sculpture back from Baldassare when he learned how much money he made off of selling it Baldassare refused saying he would rather break it into a hundred pieces he had bought the child and it was his property 2 The Sleeping Cupid was a significant work in establishing the reputation of the young Michelangelo who was 21 at the time 7 The sculpture was later donated by Cesare Borgia to Isabella d Este and was probably collected by Charles I of England when all the Gonzaga collections were bought and taken to London in the seventeenth century 5 It was previously impossible to attempt to identify Michelangelo s cupid until Paul Norton s proposal that Michelangelo s work may be in the Album of Busts and Statues in Whitehall 8 This led to one of the cupids on the album to be thought to be Michelangelo s lost cupid as the description matches quite well But it is still unknown if this is the exact one Michelangelo created as there is no record the statue after the original sale 2 Destruction editIn 1698 the Sleeping Cupid was most likely destroyed in the great fire in the Palace of Whitehall London along with many other fine works of art 5 It is unknown what happened to the sculpture See also editList of works by MichelangeloReferences edit Entry on Cupid The Classical Tradition Harvard University Press 2010 p 245 Stefania Macioe Caravaggio and the Role of Classical Models in The Rediscovery of Antiquity The Role of the Artist Collegium Hyperboreum 2003 pp 437 438 a b c Norton Paul F 1957 The Lost Sleeping Cupid of Michelangelo The Art Bulletin 39 4 251 257 doi 10 2307 3047727 ISSN 0004 3079 JSTOR 3047727 Hirst Michael 1994 The young Michelangelo Michelangelo Buonarroti Jill Dunkerton National Gallery London National Gallery Publications ISBN 1 85709 066 7 OCLC 31536939 Sleeping Cupid by Michelangelo www michelangelo net Retrieved 30 November 2022 a b c Sheila Gibson Stoodley August 2008 Misadventures in Collecting Arts and Antiques permanent dead link Michelangelo s Cupid Museum of Hoaxes Retrieved 3 January 2010 Deborah Parker Michelangelo and the Art of Letter Writing Cambridge University Press 2010 p 11 Rona Goffen Renaissance Rivals Michelangelo Leonardo Raphael Titian Yale University Press 2002 2004 p 95 Rubinstein Ruth 1986 Michelangelo s Lost Sleeping Cupid and Fetti s Vertumnus and Pomona Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 49 257 259 doi 10 2307 751307 ISSN 0075 4390 JSTOR 751307 S2CID 195042110 nbsp This article about a sculpture in the United Kingdom is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This article about a sculpture in Italy is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sleeping Cupid Michelangelo amp oldid 1213497468, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
