Within the ancient walls of the Medici Chapel in Florence, a secret space concealed to the public is soon to give way. Here, fragile sketches delicately rendered in charcoal are strewn across walls, and these masterpieces have been suggested by some masterminds of the art realm to be the undocumented works of Michelangelo.
The clandestine, minimalist room is a mere 33 by 10 feet in size and was unveiled by accident in 1975, during a quest to find a new exit from the increasingly crowdeding chapel. Scholars at the time were locked in a dispute about who the true artist behind these sketches was, and that fierce discourse rages on today.
Paolo Dal Poggetto, the observant director who was at the museum’s helm when the room was discovered believed outright that the drawings belonged to Michelangelo. His successor, Paola D’Agostino acknowledges, “The major scholars of Michelangelo’s drawings dismissed the attributions at the time of discovery 50 years ago,” adding that, “Others had a more moderate view, in the sense they thought some could be by Michelangelo and others could be by followers. So the debate is ongoing.”
Ironically, this trove of potential Michelangelo sketches was once used for a more mundane purpose, as storage for coal until 1955. Left to gather dust for decades beneath a trapdoor hidden under furniture, the drawings were later revealed under two layers of plaster.
Dal Poggetto theorizes that Michelangelo took refuge in this compact space, escaping the ire of Pope Clement VII for backing the brief republic that ousted the Medicis, continuing his work in secret. The subjects of these mysterious sketches include what appear to be the legs of Giuliano de’ Medici, believed to be a study for his projects found in the New Sacristy situated near the primitive room’s entrance.
This undisclosed room and its treasures have been shielded from public view for the better part of the last 50 years. However, a decision has been made to offer limited access. The preservation of these works remains paramount, and to that end, alternating periods of darkness with sessions of LED light exposure is planned.
From November 15, up to 100 art enthusiasts per week will be allowed to step into this mysterious space. Reservations will be entertained for groups of four, each allowed a fleeting 15 minutes to soak in the aura of the room and its contentious sketches.
