Abstract

EN – A part of the catalogue of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s early artworks has not been clarified, especially in connection with the patrons’ collections as well as the impact of the artist on the cultural milieu in Rome at the end of the fifteenth century. In particular, it is still necessary to undertake a reflection on the role that the cult of Antiquity had on the creation of the profane subject artworks by the young Michelangelo and the collected projects where his works were destined to be included. This paper analyzes the circulation of antiquarian knowledge cultivated by Michelangelo’s patrons together with the artist’s own connections to humanists. It aims to provide a more complete understanding of the humanistic values underpinning the collections of patrons like cardinal-camerlengo Raffaele Riario and the banker Jacopo Galli. It also situates some of Michelangelo’s early works within these contexts.

 Keywords

• History of Collecting;
• Michelangelo Buonarroti;
• Raffaele Riario;
• Jacopo Galli.