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Stolen Michelangelo Documents Are Offered to Vatican, for a Price Mystery Surrounds Offer to Sell Michelangelo Documents Stolen From the Vatican
(about 5 hours later)
ROME — The man approached Cardinal Angelo Comastri, prefect of the Fabric of St. Peter, with an odd proposition: Would the cardinal be interested in two documents written by the hand of Michelangelo, the Renaissance master? ROME — The man approached Cardinal Angelo Comastri, prefect of the Fabric of St. Peter, with an odd proposition: Would the cardinal be interested in two documents written by the hand of Michelangelo, the Renaissance master?
Not only were the documents of historical significance, the man noted, they had also been reported stolen in 1997 from an archive in St. Peter’s Basilica, behind the high walls of the Vatican itself. Now the documents could be returned — if for a price. Not only were the documents of historical significance, the man noted, they had also been reported stolen in 1997 from an archive in St. Peter’s Basilica, behind the high walls of the Vatican itself. Now the documents could be returned — for a price.
The cardinal refused. The Swiss Guards were notified. An investigation was begun.The cardinal refused. The Swiss Guards were notified. An investigation was begun.
“Clearly,” declared Il Messaggero, the Italian newspaper that broke the story on Sunday, “it was someone who had inside knowledge of the place.”“Clearly,” declared Il Messaggero, the Italian newspaper that broke the story on Sunday, “it was someone who had inside knowledge of the place.”
In fact, not much is clear. Cardinal Comastri declined to comment. Officials at the Vatican archive also demurred. And while Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, confirmed the basic facts of the case, he refrained from discussing the most intriguing details:In fact, not much is clear. Cardinal Comastri declined to comment. Officials at the Vatican archive also demurred. And while Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, confirmed the basic facts of the case, he refrained from discussing the most intriguing details:
Who is the mystery man who approached the cardinal? Is he a former Vatican employee, as Il Messaggero reported? What should be deduced from the reported asking price of 100,000 euros (about $109,000)? Why did the documents suddenly emerge 18 years after disappearing?Who is the mystery man who approached the cardinal? Is he a former Vatican employee, as Il Messaggero reported? What should be deduced from the reported asking price of 100,000 euros (about $109,000)? Why did the documents suddenly emerge 18 years after disappearing?
And, of course, has Pope Francis been informed about the case?And, of course, has Pope Francis been informed about the case?
“The pope does read the papers, so he might have read the news in the paper,” Father Lombardi said, “but I don’t think we need to get him involved in these things.”“The pope does read the papers, so he might have read the news in the paper,” Father Lombardi said, “but I don’t think we need to get him involved in these things.”
The Vatican, besides being the world’s smallest sovereign state and the administrative and spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church, is also in possession of one of the world’s greatest art collections and largest troves of historical documents. The archival documents span 12 centuries and are stored in shelves that, if placed in a single line, would stretch for more than 50 miles. The Vatican, besides being the world’s smallest sovereign state and the administrative and spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church, is also in possession of one of the world’s greatest art collections and largest troves of historical documents.
The archival documents span 12 centuries and are stored in shelves that, if placed in a single line, would stretch for more than 50 miles.
The missing Michelangelo documents were stored inside a smaller archive, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica, under the supervision of the Fabric of St. Peter, the Vatican office that oversees the basilica. Many of the documents in this archive were collected from the different artists and architects involved in the construction of the basilica, which began in 1506 and was completed in 1626.The missing Michelangelo documents were stored inside a smaller archive, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica, under the supervision of the Fabric of St. Peter, the Vatican office that oversees the basilica. Many of the documents in this archive were collected from the different artists and architects involved in the construction of the basilica, which began in 1506 and was completed in 1626.
Michelangelo, the passionate Tuscan whose creative genius helped define Renaissance art, is widely known for painting the astonishing frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. But he played a much wider role at St. Peter’s, working as chief architect of the construction project during the final years of his life and playing a significant role in erecting the basilica’s famed dome.Michelangelo, the passionate Tuscan whose creative genius helped define Renaissance art, is widely known for painting the astonishing frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. But he played a much wider role at St. Peter’s, working as chief architect of the construction project during the final years of his life and playing a significant role in erecting the basilica’s famed dome.
It is unclear which of Michelangelo’s documents were stolen. One is a letter written by the artist but neither recipient nor the contents of the note are known. The other is a document that contains his signature. Asked if the stolen artifacts were planning documents for the basilica, Father Lombardi said: “It would be logical, given the collection of documents on the basilica’s construction, but I have not seen the documents myself.” It is unclear which of Michelangelo’s documents were stolen. One is a letter written by the artist, but neither the recipient nor the contents of the note are known. The other is a document that bears his signature.
Francesco Caglioti, a Renaissance specialist, said the Fabric of St. Peter archive contains letters, drawings of the basilica and technical studies, “which are precious from an engineering point of view.” He scoffed at the desire of collectors to possess such documents, and said it would be difficult to put a price tag on the letters without knowing their exact nature. Asked if the stolen artifacts were planning documents for the basilica, Father Lombardi said, “It would be logical, given the collection of documents on the basilica’s construction, but I have not seen the documents myself.”
Francesco Caglioti, a Renaissance specialist, said the Fabric of St. Peter archive contains letters, drawings of the basilica and technical studies, “which are precious from an engineering point of view.” He scoffed at the desire of collectors to possess such documents and said it would be difficult to put a price tag on the letters without knowing their exact nature.
“It’s one thing if it’s a handwritten letter to Pope Paul III Farnese,” he said, “quite another if it’s a scribble on a stonecutter’s statement.”“It’s one thing if it’s a handwritten letter to Pope Paul III Farnese,” he said, “quite another if it’s a scribble on a stonecutter’s statement.”
Carmen Bambach, a Renaissance expert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, estimated that hundreds of Michelangelo’s documents are housed at the Fabric of St. Peter archive, each easily recognizable from his distinctive handwriting, and each carefully recorded. Any attempt to sell such documents on the private market would be extremely difficult, she said.Carmen Bambach, a Renaissance expert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, estimated that hundreds of Michelangelo’s documents are housed at the Fabric of St. Peter archive, each easily recognizable from his distinctive handwriting, and each carefully recorded. Any attempt to sell such documents on the private market would be extremely difficult, she said.
“It would be flushed out,” said Ms. Bambach, curator of the Met’s department of drawings and prints.“It would be flushed out,” said Ms. Bambach, curator of the Met’s department of drawings and prints.
In 1995, a professor from Ohio State University was caught trying to sell pages that he had taken from a medieval manuscript inside the Vatican archives. The manuscript had once belonged to Petrarch, the Renaissance poet and early humanist.In 1995, a professor from Ohio State University was caught trying to sell pages that he had taken from a medieval manuscript inside the Vatican archives. The manuscript had once belonged to Petrarch, the Renaissance poet and early humanist.
The two Michelangelo documents were first reported missing in 1997 by Sister Teresa Todaro, then the archivist for Fabric of St. Peter. It is unclear if the theft occurred the same year or earlier. It is also unclear whether, as the years passed, the succession of cardinals who ran the Vatican office were made aware that documents were missing. The two Michelangelo documents were first reported missing in 1997 by Sister Teresa Todaro, then the archivist for Fabric of St. Peter. It is unclear if the theft occurred the same year or earlier.
Italian police confirmed that the Vatican filed a theft report on Saturday. It is also unclear whether, as the years passed, the succession of cardinals who ran the Vatican office were made aware that documents were missing.
The Italian police confirmed that the Vatican filed a theft report on Saturday.