Italian experts argue about the attribution of a wooden crucifix, presumably the work of Michelangelo, the Italian government which has acquired over 3.3 million dollars

Michelangelo Michelangelo or not? Further, Italian art experts, once in the past year, the state purchased from the Turin antique Gallini, Giancarlo (Giancarlo Gallino) for 3.3 million euro a small wooden crucifix, which atributiruetsya the genius of the Renaissance.

Creation Michelangelo appear for sale very rarely, and even small images, as a rule, cost millions of dollars at auctions. Therefore, the purchase of the sculptural work could be considered good bargain.

But it was not so easy. If the author of this work may not be Michelangelo, as some critics claim, it turns out that Italy has spent nothing to decreasing resources for the purchase of a secondary object, albeit with certain aesthetic qualities. And this at a time when the country is in difficult economic circumstances, when the budget of the Ministry of Culture over the next three years, was cut by more than one billion euros.

a lot of disputes and disagreements also led pompous ceremony, followed the acquisition. For the first time this crucifix, which the representatives of the Ministry of Culture announced «ambassador of Italian culture in the world», before the public in December last year at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See during a rare visit of Pope Benedict XVI. Then it was billed in the Chamber of Deputies of Italy, where he saw 30 thousand visitors, and then exhibited at Trapani in Sicily and Palermo. Now it is in the Sforzesco Castle in Milan, which will stay until May 3. It is located next to a marble sculpture «Pieta Rondanini», on which Michelangelo worked in the last years of his life.

The fact that all these activities, of course, is politics, convinced Tomaso Montanari (Tomaso Montanari), Professor of Art History University of Naples, who has written several articles in newspapers and scientific journals, criticizing the "noise" from which of this sculpture raised throughout Italy.

with him in solidarity, many of his colleagues, who were outraged by the actions of the Ministry. They even wrote a public letter, which condemned the «propagandistic use» the Government of the sculpture.

«We understand that this is just a marketing operation, designed to show the whole country that the Ministry of Culture is still there, - said the professor the University of Genoa Maurizio Milorini (Maurizia Migliorini), to participate in this letter. - And so our cultural heritage is in dire need of restoration, the Ministry received very little money is not enough. And with such a large sum was spent on the purchase of works of dubious attribution. Perhaps it was better to spend these funds for the restoration or support museums that are on the verge of closure ».

now employees of Controller-General of the Italian verify the transaction in order to find out whether the state overpaid for the subject. But experts on the art of the Renaissance will be required to answer the question whether this sculpture by Michelangelo heritage.

Many of them have already expressed their views on this issue.

Specialist Sculpture Renaissance Callot, Francesco (Francesco Caglioti) estimated the cost of the crucifixion of approximately one hundred thousand euro. He argues that in Florence XV century would have found at least a dozen capable artists who may have sponsored this work. «Unfortunately, my colleagues have forgotten about it. Therefore, as soon as you receive a beautiful work, they atributiruyut its famous author. As a result, begins to seem as if all the works of the Renaissance, created in Florence, can be attributed to the authors' ten thousand hands ».

Interestingly, the owner of the crucifixion, Giancarlo Gallini several years ago suggested that his exposure to the Florence House Buonarroti - Museum dedicated to Michelangelo. But the board of directors refused. Luciano Berti (Luciano Berti), then directed by the agency, said that «this is beautiful, but it is not by Michelangelo». This is the current director of the museum told Radzhonieri Pina (Pina Ragionieri).

the documents confirming the link between crucifixion and Michelangelo did not exist. A biographer who knew the master during his lifetime, Ascanio Kondivi (Ascanio Condivi) and Giorgio Vasari (Giorgio Vasari) did not mention that Michelangelo made a small sculpture made of wood.

And yet, in the scientific community found supporters authorship Michelangelo. This is an expert on the art of the Renaissance Dzhentilini Giancarlo (Giancarlo Gentilini), head of the state museums in Florence Christine Achidini Lukinat (Cristina Acidini Luchinat) and director of the Vatican Museums, Antonio Paoluchchi (Antonio Paolucci). They believe that the crucifix was created in about 1495, when Michelangelo was about twenty years, talk about their similarities with other works of this period, such as sculpture «Pieta» from the Vatican, as well as the crucifixion of the Church of Santo Spiritu in Florence.

«I have seen hundreds of crucifixes and think that it beats all the others - said Dzhentilini, which is one of the first recognized in the work of the hands of Michelangelo, when he saw it even twenty years ago. According to him, the young Michelangelo could make this sculpture for the job, because when Florence was under the influence of the Dominican preacher Dzhirolamo Savonaroly (Girolamo Savonarola), calling for a virtuous life, and righteous prayer. «To survive, Michelangelo may have had to carry out such minor works. You can not associate his name only with the masterpieces », - noted Dzhentilini.

material produced Catherine Onuchin, AI

Sources: nytimes.com , artinvestment.ru