The Buonarroti Papers

These papers are the archives of the Buonarroti family, and contain very valuable historical information, covering a period of six hundred years, from 1250 to 1860. In the year 1860 Count Buonarroti died, bequeathing these valuable papers to the city of Florence on condition that they should never be made public: fortunately, however, the whole contents of the Buonarroti bequest was not doomed to eternal seclusion, as a part of the heritage came by purchase into the possession of the British Museum. In this small portion are to be seen one hundred and fifty letters of Michael Angelo in his own handwriting, while two hundred of them lie hidden in Florence. A perfect account of Michael Angelo and his times cannot be written until the Florentine papers are accessible.

The Buonarroti family, to which Michael Angelo belonged, was one of the most distinguished Florentine families: Beatrice, sister of the emperor Henry II., was the ancestress of this family.