An independent researcher has claimed that a marble bust of Christ in Rome's Basilica of Sant’Agnese fuori le mura is by Michelangelo. Valentina Salerno announced this attribution at a press conference on Wednesday, based on her documentary research rather than stylistic analysis.
Key Takeaways
An independent researcher claims a marble bust of Christ in Rome's Basilica of Sant’Agnese fuori le mura is by Michelangelo, based on documentary research. The claim has unsettled Renaissance scholars due to its unverified nature and the recent high-profile sale of a sketch attributed to Michelangelo for $27.2 million.
- Independent researcher Valentina Salerno attributes bust to Michelangelo based on archival documents
- Claim published on non-peer-reviewed academia.edu platform and announced at press conference
- Vatican shows initial interest, coinciding with the 550th anniversary of Michelangelo’s birth
- Leading experts decline comment due to unverified claims and lack of peer review
- Carabinieri’s art squad emphasizes cultural significance regardless of attribution
The claim has unsettled Renaissance scholars, particularly given the recent high-profile sale of a sketch attributed to Michelangelo for $27.2 million at a Christie’s auction. The unverified nature of Salerno's claims and her suggestion that several other works can now be attributed to Michelangelo have led many leading experts to decline comment.
Salerno published her theory on academia.edu, a non-peer-reviewed academic social networking site, and announced the first “rediscovery” at a press conference. The Vatican has shown initial interest in Salerno’s claims, which coincide with the 550th anniversary of Michelangelo’s birth.
Salerno's research is based on tracing wills, inventories, and notarized documents held in church and state archives. She suggests that several documents from the first few hundred years after Michelangelo’s death correctly attribute the work to him but were debunked erroneously in 1984.
The bust has been protected with an alarm system, and Lt. Col. Paolo Salvatori of the Carabinieri’s art squad emphasized its cultural significance regardless of attribution. The Vatican committee for Michelangelo's anniversary celebrations includes Salerno, though some members have downplayed her work or refused to discuss it.
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