Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Humanities
First Advisor
Carrasco, Malena
Area of Concentration
Art History
Abstract
The Italian Renaissance is considered to be the moment where the concept of artistic style was first created. There emerged a shift in attitude toward art: the creative process came to be valued as much as the material product. Concrete evidence of this shift is seen in the appreciation and positive reception of unfinished artwork- more specifically, the unfinished work of Michelangelo Buonarroti. The provenance of the incomplete Pitti Tondo and Taddei Tondo prove them to have been just as successful on their own terms as Michelangelo’s pristinely polished Vatican Pietà. The examination of these works together will document two vital transformations: the change from written signature to artistic style as a marker of identity, and the rise in value of the creative process as opposed to the material work of art. This paper will illustrate how Michelangelo serves as a fruitful case study of a significant development in the Renaissance: the creative genius lies within the moment between conception and creation; perfection lies in the mind of the artist.
Recommended Citation
Reich, Mia, "BECOMING OVER BEING IN MICHELANGELO’S MADONNAS: THE RECEPTION OF HIS UNFINISHED SCULPTURES" (2019). Theses & ETDs. 5784.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/5784