Michelangelo Bust Rediscovered
A marble bust sitting in an Italian basilica for centuries has been re-attributed to Michelangelo thanks to new scholarly research and advanced imaging techniques. The rediscovered masterpiece is now drawing international attention and boosting cultural tourism to the region. Art historians used cutting-edge technology to confirm the Renaissance master's hand.
The rediscovered sculpture is a marble bust of "Christ the Saviour" located in the Basilica of Sant'Agnese fuori le mura in Rome. The re-attribution is the result of a decade of archival research led by independent researcher Valentina Salerno. Salerno's investigation focused on historical documents, including wills, diaries, and inventories dating back to 1564, rather than relying solely on stylistic analysis. Her findings challenge the long-held belief that Michelangelo destroyed many of his final works, suggesting instead that he created a system to protect and hide them through a trusted inner circle. The bust was actually attributed to Michelangelo until the early 19th century, after which its connection to the Renaissance master was lost for nearly 200 years. For centuries, it was largely overlooked or considered a high-quality copy by an anonymous artist of the 16th-century Roman school. An international scientific committee, including scholars from major global museums, has been established to further study the findings. The bust of Christ the Saviour is now protected by an alarm system in a side chapel of the basilica. This discovery may pave the way for more of the artist's forgotten works to be re-attributed.
