MEDICI CHAPELS, New Sacristy Sculptures

Admire the two sarcophagi along the walls and keep in mind that they were not "added", but are an integral part of the whole; indeed, the New Sacristy itself, with its complex and rich articulation of windows, columns, and festoons, was built for them.

The statue-portraits depict two members of the Medici family who died at an early age: you can see them dressed in their armor, sitting in the niches above the sarcophagi.

The tomb you see on the right belongs to Giuliano di Nemours, the son of Lorenzo the Magnificent and younger brother of Pope Leo X, who had died in 1516. The young man is depicted while standing up and quickly turning his head, a bit like the famous statue of David. Opposite him is Lorenzo, the Duke of Urbino, concentrated and thoughtful.

Now admire the allegorical figures of the four parts of the day that are leaning two by two on the lids of the urns: Day and Night are on the tomb of Giuliano, Dawn and Dusk on that of Lorenzo. Notice how Michelangelo did not entirely complete many of the statues' details, leaving a dramatic sense of restless movement. Each of these statues seems to be feeling a different discomfort: Dawn stretches her limbs with a painful grimace, Day lets a frightening face come out of his muscles, almost like a ghost; Dusk collapses on the ground, lackluster and tired. Only Night, asleep, seems to forget the anxiety in losing oneself to sleep. But if you look behind her, you can see a scary mask and the figure of a ghostly owl.

Night was very admired by his contemporaries: the sculpture was considered so natural and spontaneous that they almost expected to see her wake up and get up. The sculptor answered the praises with famous verses, in which Night herself, while dreaming, gives the reasons for her serenity and asks not to be awakened: "My sleep is dear to me, and more dear this being of stone... So do not wake me! Speak softly".

FUN FACT: among the many interpretations about the serenity of Night compared to the other figures on the sarcophagi, the most curious is that of a US surgeon who, studying the sculpture's appearance, diagnosed the woman with breast cancer. In her case, sleep would have been relief from the pain.

And with this we have finished our tour of the Medici Chapels of Florence. MyWoWo thanks you for staying with us, and will see you at the next Wonder of the World!