The ''Rebellious Slave'' is a 2.15m high marble statue by
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...
, dated to 1513. It is now held in the
Louvre in
Paris.
History
The two "slaves" of the Louvre date to the second version of the
tomb of Pope Julius II which was commissioned by the Pope's heirs, the
Della Rovere in May 1513. Although the initial plans for a gigantic mausoleum were set aside, the work was still monumental, with a corridor richly decorated with sculpture and Michelangelo was immediately put in charge of the work. Among the first pieces completed were the two ''Prigioni'' (renamed the "slaves" only in the nineteenth century), destined for the lower part of the funerary monument, next to the pilasters which framed the niches containing the Victories. Their poses were determined by the needs of this architectural setting, so from the front they have great effect, but the side views received less care than usual.
The date of the two statues is confirmed by a letter of Michelangelo to Marcello dei Covi, in which he speaks of a viewing by
Luca Signorelli in his Roman house, while he worked on "a figure of marble, standing four cubits high, which has its hands behind its back".
All the ''Prigioni'' produced in the studio of the artist were eliminated from the monument in its final version, completed in 1542. In 1546 Michelangelo gave the two works in the Louvre to
Roberto Strozzi
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
, for his generous hospitality in his Roman house during Michelangelo's periods of sickness in July 1544 and June 1546. When Strozzi was exiled to
Lyon in April 1550 for his opposition to
Cosimo I de' Medici
Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death.
Life
Rise to power
Cosimo was born in Florence on 12 ...
, he had the two statues sent ahead. In April 1578 they were put on view in two niches in the courtyard of the castle of the
constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
of
Montmorency at
Écouen, near
Paris.
In 1632 they were sold by Henri II de Montmorency to
Cardinal Richelieu
Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu (; 9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a French clergyman and statesman. He was also known as ''l'Éminence rouge'', or "the Red Eminence", a term derived from the ...
, who had them sent to his
Château in
Poitou, where they were seen by
Gianlorenzo Bernini
Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...
who made an illustration of them, on his travels.
In 1749, the Duke of Richelieu had them taken to Paris and placed in the
Pavillon de Hanovre
The Palais Berlitz, also known as Palais de Hanovre, is an office building built in Paris in the 1930s on a block formed by the Boulevard des Italiens, the , the and the rue du Hanovre.
It was built to replace the Pavillon de Hanovre, which w ...
. They were hidden in 1793, but when the widow of the last Marshal of Richelieu attempted to put them on sale, they became property of the government and joined the collection which is now in the Louvre.
Description and style
The "Rebellious Slave" is portrayed trying to free himself from the fetters which hold his hands behind his back, contorting his torso and twisting his head. The impression given, which would have contributed to the spatial appearance of the monument, was that he was moving towards the viewer, with his raised shoulder and knee.
The iconographic significance of the two figures is probably linked to the motif of the Captive in Roman art; in fact
Giorgio Vasari identified them as personifications of the provinces controlled by Julius II. For
Ascanio Condivi
Ascanio Condivi (1525 – 10 December 1574) was an Italian painter and writer. Generally regarded as a mediocre artist, he is primarily remembered as the biographer of Michelangelo.
Biography
The son of Latino Condivi and Vitangela de' Ric ...
, however, they symbolised the Arts taken prisoner after the death of pontif. The ''Rebellious Slave'' in particular might, speculatively, represent sculpture or architecture. Other meanings of a symbolic and philosophical nature have been suggested as well as some linked to Michelangelo's personal life and his "torments".
From a stylistic point of view, they are based on
ancient models, particularly
Hellenistic sculpture, like the statue group of ''
Laocoön and His Sons'', discovered in 1506 and at that time in Michelangelo's possession, but also the sculptural friezes on the
triumphal arches of Rome and depictions of
Saint Sebastian.
Bibliography
* Umberto Baldini. ''Michelangelo scultore''. Rizzoli, Milano 1973.
* Marta Alvarez Gonzáles. ''Michelangelo''. Mondadori Arte, Milano 2007.
See also
*''
Dying Slave''
*
Tomb of Pope Julius II
*
List of works by Michelangelo
External links
*
Page on the Louvre's official site
{{Michelangelo, sculpture
Tomb of Pope Julius II
Italian sculptures of the Louvre
1513 sculptures
Marble sculptures in France
Sculptures by Michelangelo
Slavery in art
Nude sculptures