San Lorenzo, Library, Ricetto, entry portal from library, elevation (recto) San Lorenzo, Library, Ricetto, entry portal from library, plan and section (verso)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite architectural drawing captures the entry portal from the library to Ricetto (vestib) of the Laurentian Library at San Lorenzo in Florence, Italy—a masterpiece designed by Michelangelo in the 1520s. Created anonymously by a French artist in the early mid-16th century the recto features a precise elevation of the portal, while the verso reveals a plan and section. Such dual-sided sheets were invaluable tools for architects, allowing detailed study and replication of innovative designs. Executed in dark brown ink, black chalk, and incised lines on a modest 17 3/16 x 11 5/8-inch sheet, the work showcases Renaissance drafting techniques. Incised lines suggest the drawing was used for tracing or transfer, highlighting its practical role in disseminating Italian architectural ideas across Europe. The French origin underscores the era's cross-cultural fascination with Michelangelo's Mannerist vestibule, known for its dramatic staircase and bold proportions. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this gift from Janos and Anne Bigelow Scholz honors a fallen WWII hero. It offers visitors a window into how 16th-century designers admired and adapted Florence's revolutionary spaces, blending utility with artistic precision.