In executing his designs for the Medici Chapel in Florence between 1524 and 1534, Michelangelo created an unsurpassed highlight of Renaissance sculpture. Inparticular, the four monumental personifications of the Times of Day (Dawn, Dusk, Day and Night), with their daring nakedness and striking poses, had an immense influence on generations of artists.
This is also reflected infour small-scale copies held in the Dresden Skulpturensammlung, which have so far received little attention. In this exhibition, investigatory evidence is carefully pieced together to demonstrate why the statuettes should be regarded as early works by the great Flemish sculptor Jean de Boulogne (1529-1608), known as Giambologna.
This young artist travelled to Italy in about 1550 in order to study there, but instead of returning home he remained for the rest of his life in Florence, where he made a brilliant career at the court of the Medici.
In about 1560/70 the statuettes were sent by Cosimo I de´ Medicias a gift to Elector August - for what reason? By exploring this and other intriguing questions (such as: Why are the statuettes made of alabaster?), a fascinating picture emerges of mid-16th century art and politics in Florence and Dresden.
A "principal witness" in identifying the author of the "Dresden Times of Day" is an allegorical relief honouring Francesco de`Medici, which is on loan from the Prado in Madrid.This is so far the only known sculpture made of alabaster to have been created in Florence in the whole of the 16th century - and by none other than the young Giambologna! Giambologna was not the only artist who was inspired by Michelangelo's Times of Day. In the Medici Chapel artists drew these sculptures from all angles, and reproductions in clay, plaster and wax were popular as study objects for sculptors and painters.
A group of such clay models after Michelangelo were created in about 1560 by the Netherlandish sculptor Johan Gregor van der Schardt. The famous Nuremberg collector Paulus Praun purchased these works from the artist's estate, and they remained in his family's ownership for more than 200 years. In the 19th century the Dresden sculptor Ernst Julius Hähnel purchased these models, which were at that time regarded as originals by Michelangelo. Hähnel's collection became world-famous and has an extraordinary history extending right down to the contemporary era. These sculptures greatly inspired Hähnel, who created the life-size statue of Michelangelo for the facade of the Semperbuilding.Thus, the broad shadow of Michelangelo's oeuvre, which lasted for centuries, even extended as far as Dresden.
