More Reflections

There is a lot I've learned about the context of the slaves, and much more intrigue, and even scandal, surrounding the commission and original project. It was definitely a surprise to find out about the "shady" dealings Michelangelo had with his patrons, and the accusations of embezzlement that were pointed at him.
I've had a chance to look at other sculptures styles, techniques, and criticisms as well as critiques and evaluations of Michelangelo's work. I was also surprised to learn that there was a certain heavy value put on the unfinished works which were mainly advocated by Vasari, who claimed that even in an incomplete state they were better and more spectacular than the works of Michelangelo's contemporaries.
From looking at similar sculptures of slaves at that time, such as the two Michelangelo did complete for the tomb, I believe that the form of the  incomplete 4 are actually much more powerful in displaying slavery and representing the figures as slaves. And I believe still that Awakening Slave is the most prominent in this aspect among them.

Exploring & finding answers

In uncovering the possible answers to many of these questions, I'll need to find some good sources. Through preliminary research I've managed to find a few good leads. The Art Bulletin is a publication on many aspects of art history, and in volume 57 Juergen Schulz writes an article called Michelangelo's Unfinished Works.  In volume 65 Edith Balas also writes Michelangelo's Florentine Slaves and the S. Lorenzo Façade, which goes over the history and context under which the slaves were found and the account of their purpose and commission. In volume 19, Erwin Panofsky writes about the original project of Pope Julius II's tomb, including many spiritual purposes of the sculptures.

An article titled Michelangelo's Slaves and the Gift of Liberty from Renaissance Quarterly provides a history and account of the project commissioned by Pope Julius II, and how the sculptures' purpose changed to more political. It also partially explains how the sculptures were passed on and whose possession they came to be in instead of as a part of the tomb.

Creighton E. Gilbert has written an article called What is Expressed in Michelangelo's Non-Finito, which goes over how these were viewed and valued around the time of Michelangelo's death, and how other similar unfinished works were viewed at the time also. There is a comparison of Michelangelo with other artists such as Donatello and Benedetto de Maiano. The article is found in Artibus et Historiae.

Other sources available could help me in uncovering the answers by providing insight into the context of renaissance artists and how patrons valued artwork.

Balas, Edith. (1983). Michelangelo's Florentine Slaves and the S. Lorenzo Façade. The Art Bulletin, 65(4), pp. 665-671.

Carabell, P. (1997). Image and Identity in the Unfinished Works of Michelangelo. RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics, No. 32, pp. 83-105.


De Tolnay, C. (1954). The Tomb Of Julius II. His Michelangelo. Vol. 4, p. 163-166.

Gilbert, C. E. (2003). What is Expressed in Michelangelo's Non-Finito. Artibus et Historiae. 24(48), pp. 57-64.

Panofsky, Erwin. (1937). The First Two Projects of Michelangelo's Tomb of Julius II. The Art Bulletin. 19(4),  pp. 561-579.

Ruvoldt, M. (2012). Michelangelo's Slaves and the Gift of Liberty. Renaissance Quarterly, 65(4), pp. 1029-1059.


Schulz, J. (1975). Michelangelo's Unfinished Works. The Art Bulletin, 57(3), pp. 366-373.

A Revised Visual Analysis

Looking closer again at Awakening Slave, I'm able to come up with a revised visual analysis. There are many undefined shapes that make up the majority of the forms in the marble. The raw marble remaining un-sculpted resembles a flawed and uneven rectangular block. This shape is almost reminiscent to a cage; the missing areas of  rectangle, which make up the form of the man, are found inside of the block.

The lines used to create the shape of the slave are very curvaceous, round, and fluid. The parallel lines of the whole body is curved into a twisted and fluid motion from his head, through his shoulders and torso, and curving again in his legs. The lines carved to create his abdominal muscles all follow the same curves. It seems as though the way his body is curved expresses his struggle, and he appears to be writhing around in the marble. There are essentially no significant lines in the uncut sections of  marble, which makes the lines and form of the slave more of a contrast. The arms are both reaching away from the body and are both bent at the elbow. Those points face outward from each other, widening the chest of the slave further.

If I were to draw a simple diagram of this sculpture the main shapes would be the generally rectangular marble block encasing the slave. Inside would be the form of the body, with a very curved torso and large  protruding chest. The curve of the body would be a very important feature to emphasise, as well as the bent arms and legs, especially his left knee which protrudes most, that is bent in front of the other leg. 

The face I would include also, mainly because I think the direction the head is turned is important, and how closely the facial features are to the uncut marble is also important in the expression. 

Elements that I would exclude would be the detail of the exact shape of the surrounding marble. I don't see the exact shapes as being significant, because it all sort of molds together to form a basic larger object, and resembles more of a semi-solid substance. The presence of it is what is most impactful, but the exact and specific details of the shapes are less-so.

The colour of the sculpture is very basic, obviously because it is only composed of one substance of the same colour; white marble. However, the texture of the marble in different areas creates the presence of shadows and therefore different shades of the marble. The rough and uncut stone appears to be a different colour and substance because of the specks of shadows on the surface. This is opposed to the more smooth, and therefore lighter, surfaces of the slave's body. Overall, the mood these shades create is one that is quite stark and powerful despite it's incredibly limited range of colour.

It is difficult to pinpoint one main focal point, since this sculpture can be viewed from many different positions. However, when viewed straight on facing the  front of the sculpture, the obvious focal point is the chest. where the chin and shoulder and arm seem to frame. I think his chest is an important place to pay attention to because it doe create the sensation of breathing, and that the sculpture could be in fact alive. It emphasises the motion and energy the man could be exerting.

Our gaze is drawn to this area for a number of reasons. Firstly, it protrudes quite a bit from the marble, and it's smooth surface is in stark contrast to rougher substance around it. Secondly, his right arm and shoulder bend and frame this area along with the chin and beard of the turned head. There are details in the neck too that stand out and draw attention to the area, with vertical lines and shadows pointing downward from the head. The pectoral muscles lines also of the pectoral muscles 

This subject is a male, whose identity is not specified or recognizable, apart from the fact that he is a slave. However, I'm not yet sure whether or not he was originally intended to be a slave, or if over time and context he has become known as a slave.

The emotion expressed by the figure to me is most prominently desperation or distress, as well as intense strength and exhaustion. The body of the man is depicted with muscular definition, giving him the appearance of strength. Yet, in his position he also seems exhausted and struggling. This combination expresses a lot of power between both him and the substance that holds him.

There is no external objects or environment, so to speak, included in the sculpture. Only the surrounding uncut marble that now creates the space around the man. 

There are no other indications of any other surrounding environment, or location in time or space.

Through my research so far, most information is on the original project, the tomb of Pope Julius, and all the surrounding controversy of it. The commission is said to have been potentially Michelangelo's biggest and most important work, but it turned out to be a waste of time for him and earned him a somewhat scandalous reputation with allegations of embezzlement. Though this is very interesting, I havent been able to find a lot of information on the actual sculpture itself.

I think the topic of my paper will definitely need to take this aspect of the history of the commission into account. I would really like to find more information on the specific intentions of the sculptures themselves, however if this information is not available I will turn my focus to comparing them to similar projects of tombs during that time period. 

Questions to explore

These pieces are thought provoking and quite mysterious, and leave me with many questions to explore.
Since they are incompleted, we are able to view "mid-procedure" how Michelangelo underwent in his sculpting. What were regular sculpting practices at that time? And did the technique used by Michelangelo differ to the conventional practices? We know about how he understood his art as "freeing" objects from within marble, but was this view of sculpting unique in his time?
Why were these sculptures preserved after Michelangelo's death? Were they seen as being valuable back then, the same way they are today, despite being incompleted? Michelangelo was indeed hugely famous in his life, but I do find it questionable that they would have been valuable enough back then for people to keep safe or collect. Or was is more favourable circumastances that have kept them around for so long? Were they appreciated back then as they are today, or was the context of their value different? Was is just by chance or luck that they have survived?
I am also interested in how religion may have played a role in the patronage and the conception of the pieces. They were purposed for the tomb of a Pope, and so I would assume the original design would have had a major spiritual significance. Despite being commissioned by a religious figure, the fact they were intended to adorn a tomb leaves adequate room for assumptions that they would have had a functional religious purpose. What would those purposes have been?
Related to that is the question of whether or not they were originally intended to be slaves, or if today we have come to know them as the slaves due to the context of the time, the artist, and the form which they were left in. What would they have been if they were completed? And assuming they would have had a spiritual meaning, what could their function have been?
Taking the style of these pieces into account, I am curious about where Michelangelo found his inspiration. As a preliminary guess I would say a Greek or Eastern influence. Where did he find his sculpting inspiration for not only these slaves, but for the rest of his marble pieces?