Michelangelo Buonarroti (?)

Art Historical Context

This intriguing engraving by the 16th-century Flemish artist Lambert Suavius presents a portrait of Michelangelo Buonarroti, though the question mark in the title acknowledges ongoing scholarly debate about the likeness. Created between 1530 and 1576, during Michelangelo’s lifetime, the print captures the celebrated Renaissance sculptor, painter, and architect at the height of his fame. Suavius, known for his precise line work and northern European engraving style, likely drew inspiration from circulating images or descriptions of the Italian master. As an engraving in its second state, this small sheet—just 3⅞ inches tall—exemplifies the vital role of prints in the Renaissance. Such works allowed artists’ portraits and ideas to travel widely across Europe long before photography, making figures like Michelangelo accessible to collectors, scholars, and admirers far from Italy. The intimate scale suggests it was designed for personal study or inclusion in print albums. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this piece highlights how reproductive media helped shape the enduring legend of Renaissance genius. Its gift to the museum in 1959 by Harry G. Friedman continues to offer visitors a tangible connection to both Michelangelo’s era and the printmaking techniques that preserved it.

About the Artist

Lambert Suavius · 1510–1576

Lambert Suavius (c.1510–c.1574/76), whose Flemish family name was Zutman, was born in Liège, in the southern Netherlands. He was the son of an episcopal goldsmith, Henri Zutman, and from his father's craft environment he inherited a training in the precise handling of metal and an appreciation for fine detail work. He became closely associated with his brother-in-law Lambert Lombard, the leading a...