The artwork, titled “Studies of Grotesques,” was created by Michelangelo in 1530 in Rome, Italy. Representing the Mannerism (Late Renaissance) art movement, this sketch and study measures 25.5 by 35 centimeters. It is presently housed in the British Museum in London, United Kingdom.
The artwork features a collection of intricately detailed sketch studies of grotesque faces. These fantastical visages exhibit exaggerated features, imbuing them with a surreal and almost mythological quality. The haunting expressions and imaginative forms exemplify Michelangelo’s masterful skill in capturing the peculiar and extraordinary aspects of human physiognomy. Rendered with delicate lines and shading, the grotesques evoke a sense of both curiosity and unease, embodying the Mannerist fascination with complexity and distortion. The piece highlights Michelangelo’s exploratory approach to rendering human forms and his fascination with the boundaries of artistic convention.
