Michelangelo's works may be hidden in secret Rome room

March 05, 2026 / 1:25 PM

Marble bust being identified as a work by Michelangelo Buonarroti

Sharjah24 - AFP: Research suggests that Michelangelo instructed his pupils to conceal many of his artworks in a secret room to preserve them for future generations. Previously, a large number of his drawings and sketches were thought to have been destroyed before his death in 1564, but newly examined archival documents indicate a deliberate effort to safeguard some pieces.

Italian researcher Valentina Salerno discovered unpublished documents showing that students of Michelangelo maintained a room containing these works, secured with a system of multiple keys to restrict access. The documents trace the artist’s involvement with the Brotherhood of the Most Holy Crucifix and suggest that the concealment aimed to protect his creations from unwanted heirs.

Legacy and artistic connections

The pupils involved eventually helped establish the Academy of San Luca, which still exists. Salerno also identified a bust of Christ the Saviour in Rome’s Basilica of Sant’Agnese, historically attributed to anonymous artists, which she believes to be a genuine Michelangelo. The bust shares notable similarities with Tommaso dei Cavalieri, a young nobleman who was significant in the artist’s life.

Ongoing research

Salerno’s findings are part of her ongoing study of Michelangelo and have yet to undergo peer review, but they offer new insight into how the Renaissance master may have worked to secure his artistic legacy.