The Day
Original title: The Day (one of a pair)
kurzbeschreibung
This terracotta sculpture of Day was made around 1600 and is attributed to Michelangelo Buonarroti. It shows a reclining male nude with one arm resting across the chest and the other reaching downward. The figure belongs to a pair and stands on a square pedestal.
Description
A male nude lies stretched out on a square base, the right arm laid over the chest while the left hangs down. Both legs are slightly raised, and so is the right foot. A garment covers the body only in part, leaving broad areas bare. Against a neutral backdrop the eye is drawn entirely to the figure. The surface stays a single tone with no visible shifts in colour, and the even light avoids hard shadows.
Context
Probably made around 1600, the figure most likely served as a model for a larger undertaking, perhaps in connection with the Medici tombs in Florence. In the sixteenth century it was common practice to test designs for marble sculpture in terracotta. That the work belongs to a pair argues for a planned symmetrical installation.
Impact
The lifelike body and the calm, balanced arrangement give off a monumental composure. From the reclining pose and the partly covered garment arises a tension at once sensuous and lofty, characteristic of Michelangelo's late work.
Technique
Made of terracotta, a fired clay that permits fine modelling. The surface presents itself smooth and even, which points to careful execution and probably also to finishing with tools. At roughly 39.4 × 71.1 × 25.4 cm, the piece is compact yet rich in detail.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)