The elaboration of the back of Michelangelo’s Julius II sculpture

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Michelangelo's lost masterpiece - sculpture Pope Julius II. photo: Robert Schittko

The elaboration of the back of Michelangelo’s Julius II sculpture

The back of this wooden sculpture by Michelangelo shows traces of carving and is deliberately unfinished – another trademark of his style. This “roughly left” back gives the figure a special authenticity and provides insights into the artistic process of the Renaissance master.

A comparison can be found in the small wooden crucifix that Michelangelo probably carved for his nephew. This work is now in the Casa Buonarroti Museum in Florence and is considered a world sensation. The Italian state acquired it in 2009 for several million euros. In 2022, the crucifix was shown in the exhibition “Crucifix! A Michelangelo” in the Tyrolean State Museum. With its exciting history, it is one of the most important finds of Renaissance sculpture and is another example of Michelangelo’s mastery of wood.