The Tomb of Lorenzo de' Medici from The Tombs of the Medici

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints department, where we encounter *The Tomb of Lorenzo de' Medici from The Tombs of the* (1570), a masterful engraving by Cornelis Cort Michelangelo Buonarroti's sculpture. This print captures the grandeur of Michelangelo's design from the New Sacristy San Lorenzo in Florence, in the 1520s–1530s as a memorial for the powerful Medici family. At its center sits Lorenzo de' Medici, of Urbino, flanked by the brooding allegorical figures of Dawn and Dusk—striking male and female nudes embodying the relentless passage of time. Michelangelo, a titan of the High Renaissance transitioning into Mannerism, infused these figures with extraordinary anatomical precision and emotional depth. Lorenzo's pensive pose, with its armored elegance and shadowed visage, reflects the duke's warrior legacy, while the twisting, muscular nudes evoke classical antiquity reborn through Renaissance humanism. Cort's engraving, a meticulous reproductive print, played a crucial role in the 16th century by making Michelangelo's revolutionary sculpture accessible beyond Italy, spreading its influence across Europe through the burgeoning art of printmaking. Measuring 22 × 16 inches framed, this work highlights engraving's power to preserve and democratize monumental art, inviting us to ponder mortality and legacy—just as Michelangelo intended. A timeless testament to genius! (198 words)

About the Artist

Cornelis Cort|Michelangelo Buonarroti · 1533–1578

Comment on works: copper engraver; engraver; etcher