Secret Chamber Filled with Michelangelo’s Drawings Revealed to the Public
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The master painter and sculptor took refuge in the hidden room when Pope Clement VII issued a death sentence against him over his republican political sympathies.
Famed Renaissance artist Michelangelo is well known for his exquisite paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. But now in Italy, a lesser known body of work on the walls of a hidden room underneath Florence is gaining attention.
Michelangelo hid under the Medici Chapel in Florence, Italy, for three months during a phase of political turmoil, occupying his time by covering the walls with charcoal sketches. He never told anyone where he went.
— UberFacts (@UberFacts) December 10, 2020
The drawings went undiscovered until 1976, after 500 years pic.twitter.com/oCqHyupdrx
The chamber is concealed underneath a trap door in the Medici Chapels at the Basilica of San Lorenzo. In 1975, the director of the chapels discovered the entrance to the approximately 30 by 10 foot space underneath a wardrobe during renovations. Stripping of the walls in the room revealed numerous charcoal and chalk drawings by the master artist.
“He drew things from the past as if he was taking a trip down memory lane,” said current director of Bargello Museums Paola D’Agostino. “It was like having an album of his works.”
The small room serves as a gallery of drawings similar to some of the artist’s other works, including portions of the Sistine Chapel and his famed statue of David.
Historians believe Michelangelo hid in the room after a warrant for his arrest was issued by Pope Clement VII. Michelangelo supported Florence’s brief republican government, backing a revolt and supervising the city’s fortifications. This provoked the ire of the powerful Medici family, who sought his death after returning to the city in 1527.
Did Michelangelo create these sketches on the wall of secret room hidden within Florence's Medici Chapel? Chamber is opened to the public for the first time...the tiny space will now be open to 100 members of the public per week.https://t.co/L1MRNJrTkG
— billyWales88 (@BillyWales88) October 31, 2023
The Medicis eventually made peace with the legendary artist, allowing him to finish work on the Sistine Chapel and other projects.
November 15 will mark the first time the room will be accessible by the public. Four people at a time will be allowed to enter the chamber to ensure the priceless artworks are preserved. The Medici Chapels are currently open to the public from 8:15 am local time until 2:00 pm, until December 26 when they will be open until 4:50 pm.
