Florence Cathedral Dome Architect’s Face Unmasked With Discovery Of Bust
Images via Aislesalvotimeingh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) and 27230781 © Dennis Van De Water | Dreamstime.com
Art history has thrown us a curveball, unveiling a long-lost terracotta bust of Filippo Brunelleschi, the architectural genius behind the Florence Cathedral dome. The bust, discovered nearly 700 years after its creation, will be permanently displayed in Florence following its restoration, offering art lovers and historians a rare glimpse into the visage of the Renaissance master.
Historians Giancarlo Gentilini and Alfredo Bellandi identified the terracotta model as a work by Andrea di Lazzaro Cavalcanti, Brunelleschi’s adopted son and heir. Cavalcanti sculpted the lifelike bust from a nearly solid block of clay in early 1447 before completing the marble bust for Brunelleschi’s memorial in the Florence Cathedral later that year.
📣Abbiamo una notizia importante da darvi: la nostra collezione si arricchisce di un’inedita terracotta del #Quattrocento che ritrae Filippo #Brunelleschi!
— Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore (@OperaDuomoFi) May 23, 2024
L’opera fu realizzata nel 1447 dal Buggiano, figlio adottivo ed erede di Brunelleschi.
👉https://t.co/LfL0i2No4k pic.twitter.com/3mTBqpjBL4
Bellandi points to the work’s “expressive naturalism of great intensity,” suggesting a close study of the architect’s features. While the exact purpose of the terracotta model remains unclear, its existence hints at a more hands-on role for Cavalcanti in the creation of the final marble bust, located within the Florence Cathedral.
The terracotta model likely spent time in Cavalcanti’s workshop for study purposes, suggesting it was preserved carefully before slipping into obscurity.
The Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, responsible for the cathedral’s preservation and its museum, described the find as “exceptional” due to the rarity of Brunelleschi’s depictions from around or after his death in 1446, in addition to its long-term care before it was forgotten.
Acquired for 300,000 euros US$324,000) by the cultural institution, the sculpture will be showcased in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Restoration efforts will focus on addressing scratches and removing a chalky residue and traces of paint, ensuring the bust is displayed in its best possible condition.
[via TIME and Associated Press, images via various sources]
