Fake attributions to Michelangelo: a plague on art history

Fabrizio Federici denounces the proliferation of false attributions to Michelangelo, fueled by media sensationalism and lack of verification. Recent examples include a wooden crucifix from the 17th-18th centuries, to be exhibited in Ascoli Piceno's baptistery, and a terracotta Pietà from the late 18th-early 19th century, touted as a first version of the Vatican Pietà. The latter is clearly a three-dimensional rendition of Annibale Carracci's Pietà, yet proponents claim Carracci was inspired by Michelangelo. Federici calls on art historians and serious cultural journalists to debunk such hypotheses with solid arguments, as these fake news pollute knowledge and appear in search results. He recalls the 2008 purchase of the Gallino Crucifix by the Italian state for over €3 million, later revealed to be a late 15th-century Florentine workshop piece, not by Michelangelo. Tomaso Montanari's 2011 pamphlet 'A cosa serve Michelangelo?' exposed conflicts of interest and commodification of cultural heritage. Federici emphasizes that unlike other artists, Michelangelo's style is uniquely recognizable, yet attributions persist that have no connection to his work.