Medici Chapels – Florence, Italy

Isaac Kremer/ November 23, 2018/ museum, preservation

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The Medici Chapels contain tombs for members of glossary/florence/" class="glossaryLink" data-cmtooltip="375d4f24bdf0c1baaef8067a16356a9b" target="_blank" >Florence’s ruling family. One enters through the crypt and then walks up steps to the Chapel of Princes (La Cappella dei Principi). From there it is possible to follow a house/" class="glossaryLink" data-cmtooltip="4d8d702b37a7ba2341c578ad4aae854c" target="_blank" >hall and more steps to the New Sacristy (Sacrestia Nuova) that was entirely designed by Michelangelo.

heading">La Capella dei Principi

Built between 1602 and 1743, this chapel contains the tombs of six Medici rulers. There are references throughout to the Medici coat-of-arms/" class="glossaryLink" data-cmtooltip="75f1697ba4990ca24b0013211fb9f70b" target="_blank" >coat of arms. Various colored marbles and precious stones give this space a dazzling luster. The style/" class="glossaryLink" data-cmtooltip="d59e42cbc364b7b64ad330b4246c7d69" target="_blank" >octagon plan is surmounted by a dome, similar to the Baptistery plan and the Duomo.

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One particularly interesting feature are the sixteen shields representing of the the Tuscan cities (“Civitas”) ruled by Duke’s in Florence.

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Behind altar/" class="glossaryLink" data-cmtooltip="bb2a4f206858ede29aa7c14bfc686020" target="_blank" >the altar is a room with vestments and the staff/" class="glossaryLink" data-cmtooltip="403319bb3cc6397775c66ccfbd2c4bb2" target="_blank" >pastoral staff of pope-leo-x/" class="glossaryLink" data-cmtooltip="1d6ad2eb21a35ac56654231b0ed745d5" target="_blank" >Pope Leo X, son of Lorenzo the Magnificent and a classmate of Michelangelo’s.

Sacrestia Nuova

The Tomb of Lorenzo de’ Medici, Duke of Urbino, was sculpted by Michelangelo between 1520 and 1534 during his last years in Florence. This was in the interval between the Sistine Ceiling and The judgment/" class="glossaryLink" data-cmtooltip="0e8dbea8eb996c3735d3e3038fa85a48" target="_blank" >Last Judgment. Michelangelo took charge of the chapel early on and worked for 14 years on it. He designed both the architecture and the tombs.

Lorenzo was grandson of Lorenzo the Magnificent. Here he is depicted as a Roman general, bowing his head in contemplation. Machiavelli dedicated The Prince to him. Sadly he died at the age of 27 without a male heir, causing the line of great princes to end with him.

Fittingly his sarcophagus is flanked by statues from Michelangelo named Dusk and Dawn. Dusk (the man) is show worn out after a long day with his chin slumping on his chest as he reflects on the day’s events. Dawn (the woman) is stirring restlessly after a long night with an anguished look on her face, anticipating the new day.

The Tomb of Giuliano, Duke of Nemours is on the opposite wall. He too is depicted as a Roman general. Giuliano is given a pose that is more active than contemplative. This displayed the two elements of thought and action that Plato and Michelangelo considered made up the soul of people.

The two figures on the sarcophagus here are Night (the woman) seemingly sitting up in sleep. The other figure representing Day (the man) is twisted and turning away with an expression of suspicion or possibly anger.