For the 550th anniversary of the birth of Michelangelo Buonarroti (14751564) the Muscarelle Museum (Williamsburg, Virginia) hosted the exhibition Michelangelo: The Genesis of the Sistine, running from March to June, 2025.
The exhibition was an extraordinary account of the master's preparatory drawings for the Sistine Chapel frescoes, never before exhibited in America. Before his death, Michelangelo destroyed many of his sketches, including numerous studies for the Sistine Chapel. Those that have been saved remain significant and iconic, providing a window into his creative process, highlighting his initial plans and his extraordinary vision for the frescoes of the Sistine ceiling.
They range from what may be considered the first schematic study for the Sistine ceiling, to the numerous sketches of faces, limbs, and whole figures depicted in various positions, appearing as preparation for the figures later frescoed.
Thanks to rigorous scholarly research, this catalogue provides new insights into Michelangelo's legacy, giving the reader an enriching and compelling experience.
AUTHOR: Adriano Marinazzo is an art and architectural historian, architect, and visual artist, recognized as a distinguished scholar of Michelangelo and Italian Renaissance art and architecture. His body of work spans exhibition catalogs, monographs, and peer-reviewed articles. Marinazzo has taught at the University of Florence and now teaches at the Muscarelle Museum of Art of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, focusing his research on the intersections of digital design, art, and science.
SELLING POINTS: .
Bringing 25 rarely-displayed masterpiece drawings by Michelangelo to the United States, Michelangelo: The Genesis of the Sistine at the Muscarelle Museum of Art offered American viewers an unprecedented opportunity to experience first-hand the genius of the famed artist. This is the catalogue of that extraordinary exhibition .
Works range from what may be considered the first schematic study for the Sistine ceiling, to the numerous sketches of faces, limbs, and whole figures depicted in various positions, appearing as preparation for the figures later frescoed .
Thanks to rigorous scholarly research, this catalogue provides new insights into Michelangelo's legacy, giving the reader an enriching and compelling experience
220 colour illustrations
By:
Adriano Marinazzo
Imprint: Mandragora
Country of Publication: Italy
Dimensions:
Height: 310mm,
Width: 240mm,
Weight: 1.850kg
ISBN: 9788874617159
ISBN 10: 8874617151
Pages: 244
Publication Date: 01 November 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Unspecified
Adriano Marinazzo, Michelangelo: The Genesis of the Sistine I. The Tomb of Julius II: The Project for the Four-Sided Mausoleum II. Michelangelo and a First Drawing for the Sistine Ceiling III. The Painted Architecture of the Sistine Ceiling IV. Painted Stories from the Book of Genesis V. Michelangelo the Creator VI. The Wall Tomb VII. After the Genesis: The Last Judgment Additional Essays Cristina Acidini, Alessandro Cecchi, Michelangelo’s Drawings for the Sistine Chapel in the Casa Buonarroti Collection Laura Donati, Michelangelo’s Drawings at the Uffizi. The Formation of the Collection and its Sources Fabrizio Biferali, Aut Caesar Aut Nihil. A Roman Iconography Involving Cesare Borgia and Julius II Entries, Adriano Marinazzo Michelangelo’s Drawings Cat. 1–23 Other Works Cat. 24–38 Appendix, Adriano Marinazzo The Sistine Ceiling Painted Architecture: A Video Art Installation Timeline of Michelangelo’s Life Bibliographical References
Adriano Marinazzo is an art and architectural historian, architect, and visual artist, recognised as a distinguished scholar of Michelangelo and Italian Renaissance art and architecture. His body of work spans exhibition catalogues, monographs, and peer-reviewed articles. Marinazzo has taught at the University of Florence and now teaches at the Muscarelle Museum of Art of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, focusing his research on the intersections of digital design, art, and science.
