MICHELANGELO Buonarroti
(b. 1475, Caprese, d. 1564, Roma)

Lorenzo de' Medici

1524-31
Marble
Sagrestia Nuova, San Lorenzo, Florence

Like his counterpart, Giuliano de' Medici, Lorenzo looks at the group around Mary. In doing so, he turns to his patron saint, who is to intercede with the Mother of God on his behalf. This is by no means a faithful depiction of the era in which Lorenzo lived: an army leader from Antiquity appears here, contemplating the embodiment of Contemplative Life.