Smyth, CarolynCorrado, CrispinCraig, Carly Anne2024-06-062024-06-062023Craig, Carly Anne. "From Tomb to Tomb: The New Sacristy Grottesche". Master's Thesis, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. 2023.https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14490/117Master of Arts in Art History -- John Cabot University, Spring 2023.Michelangelo’s New Sacristy at the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence is an incomplete 16th century family mausoleum commemorating the lives of four Medici members. The conception of the project in 1519 after the untimely death of the last legitimate Medici heir, Lorenzo de’ Medici, was intended to compliment Brunelleschi’s Old Sacristy within the same basilica. The incomplete chapel has raised much debate regarding theme and iconography; however, the marble reliefs of the two altar candelabra have yet to be proposed within studies of the 15th and 16th century grottesche genre. The candelabra present reliefs of gargoyles, animals, masks, jeering human-monster hybrids, and amphorae stacked upon one another in a candelabra- like manner. These forms show similar patterns of organization and iconography as late 15th and early 16th century grottesche expressions, originating from ancient Roman fresco painting. By tracking grottesche employment following the late 15th century rediscovery of the ancient Domus Aurea in Rome and the artists thought to be responsible for the New Sacristy candelabra, this thesis will maintain that the New Sacristy altar candelabra reliefs should be re-evaluated as grottesche expressions. Their aesthetic modes of resemblance and deviation from previous grottesche patterns prompts further investigation into the evolution of 16th century grottesche as it pertains to medium, size, and iconographic disposition.Michelangelo’s New Sacristy at the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence is an incomplete 16th century family mausoleum commemorating the lives of four Medici members. The conception of the project in 1519 after the untimely death of the last legitimate Medici heir, Lorenzo de’ Medici, was intended to compliment Brunelleschi’s Old Sacristy within the same basilica. The incomplete chapel has raised much debate regarding theme and iconography; however, the marble reliefs of the two altar candelabra have yet to be proposed within studies of the 15th and 16th century grottesche genre. The candelabra present reliefs of gargoyles, animals, masks, jeering human-monster hybrids, and amphorae stacked upon one another in a candelabra- like manner. These forms show similar patterns of organization and iconography as late 15th and early 16th century grottesche expressions, originating from ancient Roman fresco painting. By tracking grottesche employment following the late 15th century rediscovery of the ancient Domus Aurea in Rome and the artists thought to be responsible for the New Sacristy candelabra, this thesis will maintain that the New Sacristy altar candelabra reliefs should be re-evaluated as grottesche expressions. Their aesthetic modes of resemblance and deviation from previous grottesche patterns prompts further investigation into the evolution of 16th century grottesche as it pertains to medium, size, and iconographic disposition.viii, 83 pagesenAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Christian art and symbolismTombsThesis