Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni

Born March 6, 1475, died February 18, 1564

 

Portrait of Michelangelo by Jacopino del Conte

 (after 1535) at the age of 60

            A renaissance man, Michelangelo was considered to be one of the first of his kind, along with only the likes of Leonardo da Vici. Michelangelo was an Italian sculptor, painter, poet and architect; he was born in Caprese, a Tuscan town, on March 6, 1475 to a poor Florentine family. He studied the art of fresco painting and classical monuments while apprenticing under Domenico Ghirlandajo at the age of 13. His talent did not go unnoticed and with the recommendation and urging form both Ghirlandajo and Lorenzo the Magnificent, the head of the Medici family who was in rule at the time, Michelangelo furthered his training at the palace of Medici. While at the Medici family palace he studied sculpture under Betolodo di Giovanni, a pupil of Donatello Di Betto Bardi, a Tuscan sculptor. After 1492 and Lorenzo’s death he traveled to Bologna but returned to Florence in 1495 to work as a sculptor. 

 

Pieta’, 1498-1499

Marble, 5’8.5” x 6’4.8”

Location: St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City

            Michelangelo found himself in Rome in 1496 working as a sculptor until 1501 when he returned to Florence to paint and sculpt. During this time, 1499-1500, he sculpted one of his major works, Pieta’ a marble piece for the French Chapel in the Vatican Basilica of Saint Peter, which some say is the greatest sculpture ever created.. Pieta’ is of the Virgin Mary supporting and mourning the dead body of her son Jesus after his crucifixion, it stands 5’ 8 ½” tall. “Michelangelo traveled to the marble quarries at Carrara in central Italy to select the block from which to make this large work” (Stokstad 670); he would continue this practice for most of his sculpture. Mary’s face is that of a young woman and, in scale, she is much larger than that of her son, Jesus, almost giving the impression that he is a much younger boy napping in his mother’s arms, “a theme borrowed from Northern European art” (michelangelo.com). Her head is bowed ever so slightly, the draping of her clothing is exquisite and although there is a substantial amount of it, it does not distract from Jesus at all. In fact, it causes you to see notice him first. The only visible traces of the crucifixion are small nail marks and a wound on his side.  

Michelangelo finished this piece before the age of 25; it was the only piece he ever signed. It is said that Michelangelo overheard someone say that the piece was done by another artist. That night he “took hammer and chisel and placed the following inscription on the sash running across Mary’s breast in lapidary letters: MICHELANGELUS BONAROTUS FLORENT FACIBAT (Michelangelo Buonarroti, Florentine, made this). He “regretted his passionate outburst of pride and determined to never again sign a work of his hands” (michelangelo.com). This sculpture won the attention of the Catholic Church and with it Michelangelo began his career producing religious artifacts for Pope Julius II, and three of his successors, Leo X, Clement VII and Paul III.  His work would involve not only sculpture for the church, but also painting and architecture. 

 

Close-up of the Mary’s sash

Michelangelo’s only known signature

            Michelangelo went on to produce sculptures such as David, (1501-1504, 17”) , Moses (1513-1516, 7’ 8 1/5”): paintings such as The Sistine Chapel ceiling (1508-1512), which holds some of his most famous works; “the Creation of Adam”, “Temptation”, and nine scenes from the Book Of Genesis, and on the end wall is “The Last Judgment”  (1536-1541) for which there was great controversy. He painted the entire Sistine Chapel lying on his back with paint and cement dripping in his face. These images now known throughout the world show Michelangelo’s talent and understanding in the human anatomy, color and movement that “changed the course of painting in the West” (michelagelo.com). Michelangelo had a firm grasp on human anatomy and musculature; it was this that helped shape the artists that followed him. He chose to make art that required physical labor such as marble carving and painting fresco; types took years to finish. He gave life, expression and emotion to the faces and bodies of the people he sculpted and painted. He made sure they were in proportion, something that was never done before; sculptures and painting were always stoic and emotionless. His poses were complex with movement or motionless but filled with such emotion that the viewer could not help but feel the soul of the subject. It was these things that influenced artists since Michelangelo, he set a precedent for all artists to achieve.