New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-08
TOMB OF LORENZO DI MEDICI
OPENING by ORDER OF THE ITALIAN GOV.
EMINENT

HISTORICAL EVENTS SETTLED.
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
FLORENCE, April Tt having been recently
noticed that the majestic statue OF Michel Angelo, known
az the Crepuscolo Twilight, surmonntng the sar-
cophags of Duke Lorenzo in the sacrsry Of the Church
OF San Lorenzo. hal slipped little from ts inclined po-
sition threatening ~ fall the Minister OF Public Insruc
ton gave orders that It should be lifted from IT, place
and properly secured To do this he selected the Com
mandante Aurelis Gotti. Director OF the Museums Of
Florence in the presence OF the syndc Perrozz and the
Project Montezumoli and a committee Of the most ds
tinguished scuptOrs, painters professors, etc. prh
Dupre, Ussi, POllastrini Mllanesi, and others dis
tinguished in art. 10 thus made solemn affair. be-
fitting the reputation OF Michel Angelo and the rank u
the deceased princes II happened that only two for
eigners invited 10 be present Charles Heath VIII
OF England, who is translang and largely ang
mentng from his studies GOtd's new life Of Michel
Angelo, one, and the other, which gives
the opportunity OF presenting 10 You account Of IN
event OF much interest both artiscay and historically
the latter especially because Of Gmm assertion that
the Italians had msnamed the portrait statues above tho
two sepuchres
Had It not been for the slipping OF the Crepucoo from
it's base, Grmms positive assertions might have gone
unqrstoned certainly by the Of HIS in
terestng biography and in time acquired the consistency
Of historical facts. The Italians themselves h begun
TO doubt what body was In the sarcophaus which
brOods II PenserOsO, the most remarkable statue Of
modern art Consequently the authorities determined 10
avail themselves Of this OCCASION also lift the eompan
ion piece to Twight-he Dawn, Aurora-to slide the
massive OF the sarcophagus aside, and inspect
the contents Some believed that IL held beside LORENZO,
the body OF his WIFE, Maddalcna OF BOuogne who died
few days before him in giving birth 10 the subsequently
celebrated Caharine III Medici queen OF France soms
OF the learned believed that nothing would be found inside
the sarcophagus and others. relying on the ancient
records OF the Church affirmed that the IAN March
1886 week after his assassination Alessandro- corpse
therein deposited alongside OF that OF his rcput.d
father which had been there inferred the 7th May,
1919.
The memories Of good and evil OF stupendous genius
baseness, folly, crime, tyranny, and arsocraio pride
and elfworship cluster thckly about the ancient walls
OF Lorenzo and fances and suggestions thick
and fast within them at any visit. But these came
hundredfold faster at event which restored Ia sight
the mortal relies OF two Of the most wicked ~
INSCRIPTIONS it powerful Of whom had sought
the life Of the very man-Michel AngrlO-tO whom Tho
family the nobest sepulchral monument The world
possesses gossping chronicer OF the times has writ
ten OF Alessandro that 1t uncertain whether he
the OF Duke Lorenzo, his groom, or Cardinal ~
Medici, aferward Pope Clement VII His mother how
ever, mulatto woman OF lowest origin and char
acter who stamped her lineage and passions individually
in the features Of her iegmac son, that whatever
doubt there might az his patera origin there could
exist none on the maternal side His Infamous career
after he imposed on the Florentines their Duke
by Clement all know. brought 10 speedy end by
the dagger OF his cousin Lorenzino di Medci IN hon>e
Of debauch. But he found q writer OF his Own pc
Rod who asserted he not bad and brainos'
as he was popularity depicted, which might wen he" con
sdering that his blood side prolific IN talents
Of various and not altogether desut" Of yrtu''
even according 10 the then ethical standard All ms
heightened attached 10 finding his body or %
all events seeing the conformation ~ his skull.
After the Crepuscolo and Aurora had been adroy
p1n
mbers supported by the stone cornce at the feet Of tha
statue OF Duke Lorenzo and massive scanolding. the
stone lid OF the arcOphags removed. Underneath
this wooden cover, which being pred of exposed
two corpses lying with their heads NJ opposite ends oi
the sarcophagus. They wrapped In fine linen.
having undcrcothng with lace trimmings and i'h
garments now dscolored and rotten. The bodies had
been embamed, the flesh had oil disappeared. the bones
were dsointed. and in lifting them. all ,cll aTErt.
Which LorenzOl Which Alessandrof Wa
either Lorenzo Alessandroi Such were the Gneson-
at once asked There no jewels metals. my ces
to Identification other than tho skeletons Themselves.
The first Uranium taken out normal European one
size and shape with straight hair The second
was covered with beautiful velvet cap ~ the old ducsi
shape, in toerable state OF preservation On raising
this there appeared Enthusiastically monerel skull
small narrow with a very rrtrcat.ng facial Tine pro
ecting heavy underaw and every astrological max 81
an inferior chronological development with Gully har
The first remark made by OF the ForCntnes present.
was so this the creature that was forced on Flor
ence as her first duke" II sufficiently inficai"s IA" I'm
preston as the identity Of the skull with the
opinions universally entertained II Alexandra; an
identity which was afterwart scientifically established
by the medical gentlemen present, Drs. Paranucr and
Forest After the notary had recorded IN legal form the
facts established signed ghd witnessed by the officers ~
the government and the city the remains were again de-
posted in the arcophaus bits Of the garments AMI
locks Of Alessandro's crspy hair having been taken
rolf NJ al
the most infamous characters of Italian history 10
renzo 10 whom the equiyoca compliment ~ being eons-
cred father ~ AessandrO had been paid by Clement
who thus shirked the honor himself, was hbertne ~
the stamp the destroyer OF the sculptures of the
Arch Of Constantine at Rome, and the enemy Of bis
country He died Of the Infamous disease, which then
was making frightf rayages IN Europe, introduced by
the spaniarts from the New World.
Now for Grimm. Page Az vol l. he says A proof of
how little remains Of the remembrance or what Lorenzo
and Cuiliano were their life ~ in the change ~
the names Of these which has lasted mp Ia our
own day The false des snaons remain at
ached Lorenzo the arrogant, warke Duke of Urbino.
s called by vlsari the man absorbed in reflection the
portrait OF melancholy, Inflated uncle Guano having
been referred TO him while the latter made into the
bold, proud Lorenzo has been looked upon hitherto
under the form Of his nephew
In Grimm. ease there is an overdose Of fancy Re
he imagnes the mail-clad statue always known
AS t,uilianO agrees with what he thinks to have
been the archaeological character OF Lorrn]o, ani roo
rersd he their names finds thar "a'h nshre
contains 10 ALL" his estimate or what each vas,
and consequently Vasar the records ~ the Church. co
temporary writer's tradition In fact every positive proof
and probability in the wrong; that he has set u oil
right with and each and statue IN fs ght
place Grimm naiycly writes he Is not aware" that
any before him ever discovered The change OF TIE
names" admits that Michel Angelo did not adhere
10 nature" in these portrait statues OF course he did
not lie has said himself But the phy,lognomy OF
statues indicate any thing regards the character %
either Guiiano Lorenzo the frank. open fac Of the
GuianO bespcaks a FAR more noble mind than tho
scownng, sinister CHASTITY appearance Of II PenseT0so.
DISCONTINUED I4ROPFRS