A marble bust of Christ the Saviour that has stood for centuries in a Roman basilica has been newly attributed to Renaissance master Michelangelo Buonarroti following fresh archival research.
The sculpture, long considered anonymous, is housed in the Basilica of Sant’Agnese fuori le mura in Rome. The proposed attribution was presented during a press conference at the basilica on Wednesday by independent researcher Valentina Salerno and representatives of the Canons Regular of the Lateran congregation, which administers the church.
Salerno’s conclusion is based on a decade of documentary research rather than stylistic analysis alone. Her work draws on a wide range of historical sources including wills, correspondence, diaries, travel accounts, reports, notarial inventories and confraternity records spanning from 1564, the year of Michelangelo’s death, to the present day.
The bust had previously been linked to Michelangelo but lost its attribution in the early 19th century, after which it was generally catalogued as the work of the anonymous Roman school of the 16th century.
Documentary trail suggest sculpture was by Michelangelo
Salerno argues that the documentary trail suggests the sculpture was part of the artistic legacy Michelangelo left to trusted friends and followers after his death. According to her research, some works circulated privately among this network before eventually reaching religious institutions, where they remained largely unnoticed for centuries.
Speaking at the presentation, Salerno acknowledged that she is not formally trained as an art historian. However, she defended her approach as based on archival evidence.
“I am not an art historian, I don’t even have a university degree, but the strength of my research lies in its reliance on public archival documents,” she said.
Members of the Lateran Canons said the basilica has often revealed unexpected historical discoveries. Franco Bergamin of the order told journalists that the church complex has been home to the community since the early 15th century and continues to hold surprises.
Attribution not universally accepted
However, the proposed attribution has not yet been universally accepted. Some Renaissance scholars have urged caution and called for further peer review and independent verification before the bust can be definitively added to Michelangelo’s catalogue of works.
Michelangelo, who lived from 1475 to 1564, is widely regarded as one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance. His best-known works include the statue of David in Florence, the Pietà in St Peter’s Basilica and the ceiling frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.
Also read: On this day: birth of Michelangelo
