Michelangelo's secret room opened to the public in 2020

Opening in 2020 is the secret room where Michelangelo Buonarroti (Caprese, 1475 - Rome, 1564) took refuge to escape the vengeance of the exiled Medici after his betrayal in favor of the rebels in the popular revolt that ousted them. This room is located inside the Medici Chapels, in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence, and was discovered in 1975, following a series of restoration works to the Basilica’s New Sacristy.

In a cellar, in fact, drawings made in charcoal were found that, after careful analysis, were attributed to Michelangelo. Directing the work and handling the investigation at the time was the director of the Museo delle Cappelle Medicee, Paolo Del Poggetto (to whom we owe the expression “secret room”). A seven-by-two-meter room, the one that Michelangelo totally decorated with different subjects at the time of his forced imprisonment. There are, in fact, a horse’s head and some studies related to the sculptures in the New Sacristy.

In addition, some sketches regarding the famous David would also be found. Finally, there is also a figure folded in on itself that, according to experts, would represent a self-portrait of the artist forced into captivity. Already in 2014, a project was started by which the interior of the room was visible through an interactive monographic tour. Using modern technology, it was possible to admire the interior of the room by browsing through images and video clips on the touchscreen.
The plan to open the secret room to the public was the idea of the director of the Bargello National Museum, Paola D’Agostino.

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Photo: the Basilica of San Lorenzo - Ph. Credit Wikimedia Commons

Michelangelo's secret room opened to the public in 2020

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