When in London I often visit the top floor of the Royal Academy just to see the Taddei Tondo, a four feet diameter circular marble relief by Michelangelo, the only piece of his sculpture in the UK. Missed by many visitors to the temporary exhibitions at the RA it is beautifully lit in a recess at the end of the Sackler Wing, furthest from the lift. I feel so privileged to be able to study the sculpture at such close quarters and generally quite uninterrupted, save for the lost souls looking for somewhere where they can furtively use their mobile phones.
Like many of Michelangelo's works the Taddei Tondo is unfinished and the tool marks reveal much about how he was approaching the piece, a bit like being able to see the underdrawing of a great painting. You can see where he is still roughing out with the point, modelling the forms with the claw and then refining the forms of the finished passages as was his working method. I always come away reinvigorated, inspired by Michelangelo’s energy, ambition and craftmanship and return to my studio the next day, eager to pick up my tools and address the block of stone on the carving stand.
Like many of Michelangelo's works the Taddei Tondo is unfinished and the tool marks reveal much about how he was approaching the piece, a bit like being able to see the underdrawing of a great painting. You can see where he is still roughing out with the point, modelling the forms with the claw and then refining the forms of the finished passages as was his working method. I always come away reinvigorated, inspired by Michelangelo’s energy, ambition and craftmanship and return to my studio the next day, eager to pick up my tools and address the block of stone on the carving stand.
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