Was the Young Archer actually a masterpiece by Michelangelo?
In short: A fragmentary marble statue, recently loaned by the French Republic to the Metropolitan Museum, is sparking a scholarly debate. Many experts believe this piece is the work of a young Michelangelo, offering a rare glimpse into the artist's formative years in 1490s Florence.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting a symposium to explore the evolution of Michelangelo during a pivotal decade: the 1490s. This period in Florence was defined by a confluence of dramatic forces that helped shape the young artist's trajectory. Central to this discussion is the 'Young Archer,' a marble fragment that has recently traveled from the French Republic to New York. This era of intense artistic formation is currently being examined through the lens of the Michelangelo Historicist symposium. The event brings together international scholars to reflect on how these specific Florentine pressures influenced the sculptor's early identity.
The symposium, titled 'Michelangelo Historicist,' is led by Joost Keizer, an Assistant Professor of the History of Art at Yale University. Keizer's research often examines the intersection of art theory and history, including the political dimensions of Renaissance art. The program is supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. Keizer's upcoming publication, Michelangelo and the Politics of Art, is expected to be released by Yale University Press in London and New Haven. His broader academic work at Radboud University Nijmegen also investigates the nuances of historiography and art theory.
While the 'Young Archer' serves as a focal point for discussing Michelangelo's early development, the broader study of art history involves analyzing how style and medium interact. Scholars like Keizer have explored how the concept of 'air' or the space between an artist and their work can define style, much like the way seventeenth-century critics viewed the works of Caravaggio. Such investigations help reconstruct the intellectual atmosphere of the Renaissance, where the boundaries between the artwork and the life of the maker were often fluid. This fluidity is mirrored in the technical traditions of the seventeenth century. For instance, Karel van Mander noted that artists often utilized paper colored like ash or pale blue to create depth, rather than using white paper, which was an uncommon challenge to convention.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Michelangelo Symposium Part 9: Joost Keizer
- Also: radboud.academia.edu — Joost Keizer - Profile on Academia.edu
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