Michelangelo is celebrated as one of the greatest artists in history, known for masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the Statue of David, and the Pietà. However, behind these iconic works was a complex and determined individual. This article delves into the life of Michelangelo, exploring the journey of this extraordinary artist.
In the 15th century, Italy was a collection of small republics under the Pope’s influence. Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475, in the village of Caprese, Italy. His father, Lodovico, was a minor official, and the family moved to Florence when Michelangelo was six months old. Despite financial struggles, Michelangelo was exposed to art from a young age, often visiting the church of Santa Croce, which housed works by artists like Donatello and Giotto.
Michelangelo’s interest in art was evident early on, but his father, Lodovico, was not supportive, viewing artists as lowly servants. However, Michelangelo’s friend Francesco Granacci introduced him to the workshop of the renowned artist Domenico Ghirlandaio. Impressed by Michelangelo’s talent, Ghirlandaio took him on as an apprentice at the age of 12, where he learned the basics of painting and fresco preparation.
Michelangelo quickly stood out among his peers, but his pride and impatience often caused friction. He believed sculpture was the highest form of art, a conviction that led him to leave Ghirlandaio’s workshop. His talent caught the attention of the Medici family, particularly Lorenzo de’ Medici, who became his patron.
Under the patronage of the Medici, Michelangelo honed his skills in sculpture. He created notable works like the “Battle of the Centaurs” and “Madonna of the Steps.” However, the death of Lorenzo de’ Medici in 1492 marked a turning point, as his successor, Piero, showed little interest in sculpture.
With the political upheaval in Florence, Michelangelo sought new opportunities. He found a patron in Gianfrancesco Aldrovandi in Bologna, where he worked on the shrine of San Domenico. Despite facing jealousy from other sculptors, Michelangelo’s talent continued to shine.
Michelangelo returned to Florence in 1495 amidst political changes. He engaged with the Medici family again, creating a statue of Cupid that was sold as an antique in Rome. This led to his introduction to influential figures, including Cardinal Riario, who commissioned the statue of Bacchus.
In 1497, Michelangelo was commissioned to create the Pietà by Cardinal Jean Bilheres de Lagraulas. This masterpiece, depicting the Virgin Mary holding the dead Jesus, established Michelangelo’s reputation as a leading sculptor. The Pietà’s realism and emotional depth captivated audiences and secured his fame.
Michelangelo’s career took another leap when Pope Julius II commissioned him to create a grand tomb and later to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Despite his initial reluctance, Michelangelo’s work on the Sistine Chapel became legendary, showcasing his mastery of perspective and human anatomy.
Michelangelo continued to work on various projects, including the Medici Tombs and architectural designs. His dedication to his craft and his ability to capture the human form in marble left an indelible mark on the art world. Michelangelo’s legacy endures, inspiring countless artists and art enthusiasts worldwide.
Michelangelo’s journey from a young boy in Florence to a renowned artist is a testament to his talent, determination, and passion for art. His works continue to be celebrated for their beauty and technical brilliance, cementing his place as one of history’s greatest artists.
Research the works of Donatello and Giotto that Michelangelo would have seen in the church of Santa Croce. Create a presentation comparing their styles and techniques with Michelangelo’s early works. Discuss how these artists might have influenced his development as a sculptor.
Imagine you are an apprentice in Domenico Ghirlandaio’s workshop alongside Michelangelo. Write a reflective journal entry describing a day in the workshop, focusing on the skills you are learning and your interactions with Michelangelo. Consider how his pride and talent might affect the workshop dynamics.
Participate in a debate on the topic “Sculpture is the highest form of art,” a belief held by Michelangelo. Prepare arguments for and against this statement, drawing on examples from Michelangelo’s sculptures and paintings. Engage with your peers to explore different perspectives on the value of each art form.
Conduct a detailed analysis of Michelangelo’s Pietà. Focus on its composition, emotional impact, and technical execution. Present your findings in a written report or a video presentation, highlighting why this work is considered a masterpiece and how it contributed to Michelangelo’s fame.
Create a timeline of Michelangelo’s major works and their historical context. Include significant events in his life and the broader political and cultural changes in Italy during his lifetime. Present your timeline to the class, discussing how these factors influenced his art and legacy.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
—
He is revered as one of the greatest artists of all time. For centuries, he has typified the perfect artistic genius. His greatest legacy is the surviving works that we can see today – the Sistine Chapel, the Statue of David, the Pietà. Yet, behind the artworks lies a complex and determined man. In this week’s Biographics, we go beyond the facade to discover the real Michelangelo.
**Early Days**
Italy in the 15th century was very different from the country we know today. Back then, it was a collection of small republics, all under the governance of the Pope in Rome. The key republics were Florence, Genoa, and Venice, each with its own governors, nobles, peasants, priests, and officials. Nestled in the remote Apennine Mountains of central Italy was the small village of Caprese. It was here, on March 6th, 1475, that Francesca di Neri Buonarroti gave birth to her second son, Michelangelo. Her husband, Lodovico di Leonardo Buonarroti Simoni, was a lowly official tasked with convicting and sentencing criminals. When baby Michelangelo was six months old, the family moved to Florence, where Lodovico bought a small farm near the village of Settignano. It was in this village that the child spent his early years under the care of a wet nurse.
Farming out newborns to a wet nurse for the first two years of life was common at that time. The woman who took in Michelangelo was married to a stonecutter. In later years, when he had transformed himself into a sculptor, Michelangelo commented that he had “drunk marble dust with his nurse’s milk.” When he was three, Michelangelo returned to live with his family in Florence. The family was poor, and with new babies arriving frequently, the household was overcrowded. Lodovico received a meager government salary, and his farm was not very successful. He believed that the work of a farmer was beneath him.
When he was six years old, young Michelangelo’s life became even more challenging. His mother died, leaving behind five young sons, including a newborn. Lodovico did his best, working two jobs while still managing to take the boys to Mass at the church of Santa Croce in Florence every Sunday. This church was filled with magnificent works of art, including a crucifix carved by the famous sculptor Donatello and wall paintings by Giotto, one of the greatest artists of all time. The young Michelangelo must have marveled at these magnificent pieces.
In 1485, Lodovico took on a new wife. Lucrezia degli Ubaldini Gagliano came from a wealthy family, bringing a substantial dowry. This flipped the fortunes of the family overnight. An immediate result of the family’s newfound wealth was that Lodovico could afford to send Michelangelo to a Latin school to learn reading, writing, and mathematics. However, the boy soon proved that he was no academic. Bored with his lessons, he would stare out the window while doodling on paper. However, he did fall in love with poetry.
**A Passion for Art**
Returning home for vacation, Michelangelo told his father that he was more interested in art than in academic studies. But Lodovico was not impressed. At that time, artists were considered lowly paid servants of noblemen. Lodovico wanted his son to aspire to more than that. The only person who seemed to understand Michelangelo’s passion for art was an older boy he had befriended named Francesco Granacci. Francesco was himself a budding artist, apprenticed to the famous artist Domenico Ghirlandaio. He took Michelangelo to his master’s workshop and showed him works in progress. The younger boy was mesmerized by what he saw and knew that this was his destiny.
Despite his father’s negativity, Michelangelo kept begging to be allowed to pursue his passion. Meanwhile, his friend Francesco encouraged him to produce some drawings, which he showed to his master, Ghirlandaio. The great artist was impressed and expressed the desire to take Michelangelo on as an apprentice. Finally, Lodovico relented, and at the age of 12, his son became apprenticed to Ghirlandaio. The master ran the most successful artist workshop in Florence, along with his two brothers, decorating churches in the city. The brothers had a number of apprentices aged between 8 and 15, who lived with them and assisted with paintings and murals. The parents, including Lodovico, had to pay for living expenses and training.
From the Ghirlandaio brothers, young Michelangelo learned how to prepare a wooden panel for painting and how to plaster a wall in preparation for fresco painting. He was also taught how to make working drawings, called cartoons, which would form the basis of finished paintings.
**The Prideful Apprentice**
Among the apprentices, Michelangelo was an immediate standout. Still, he proved to be stubborn and quite full of himself. He was given the task of copying works previously drawn by his master and, having done so, declared that his works were better than the originals. Ghirlandaio acknowledged that the boy had great talent, but he was angered by his prideful attitude. He also saw that Michelangelo lacked the patience needed to learn some of the skills required, such as painting frescoes. He showed little interest in grinding and mixing paints and couldn’t be bothered mixing the ingredients needed for the smooth plaster required for fresco painting.
When he was 14, Michelangelo went one step too far. He had copied some drawings that his master had done of women but then dared to ‘correct’ some finer aspects of the originals by going over them with a broad-nibbed pen. This was too much. Ghirlandaio kicked Michelangelo out of the workshop, claiming that there was no teaching this ‘know-it-all.’ Rather than being discouraged, the talented teen decided that paint and plaster were not for him. He considered them to be a lesser form of art. To him, the real skill lay in stone, producing fine sculptures of the human form. This desire would take him to the very pinnacle of Florentine nobility, the house of Medici.
**The House of Medici**
Before Michelangelo had been dismissed by Ghirlandaio, some members of the ruling Medici family visited the workshop. Among them was an elderly sculptor named Bertoldo di Giovanni. This man noticed the talent that Michelangelo possessed and struck up a relationship with the boy. After his dismissal, the budding young sculptor sought out the older man. Bertoldo was employed by Lorenzo de’ Medici, the most powerful man in the city, to make statues and medals and to look after his art collection. Many of Lorenzo’s statues were displayed in a garden where artists went to draw and carve. This area was a gathering place for student sculptors, who would get feedback and instruction from Bertoldo about their work.
Soon, Michelangelo was a regular in the garden. The now fifteen-year-old began creating sculptures from clay and bringing them to the garden. Though he was younger than the other budding sculptors, his skill was clearly beyond theirs, which led to jealousy. Sometimes this led to physical confrontations. In one encounter, Michelangelo had his nose broken. But the boy was not deterred. Begging a piece of marble from another sculptor, he created his first relief carving – the head of a faun. Just as he had hoped, this sculpture was seen by Lorenzo Medici, who was immediately taken with the boy’s skill. He brought Michelangelo into his fold, giving him his own room and paying him an allowance. The young artist’s life was now more peaceful, allowing him to settle down to the task of perfecting his chosen art form.
One of his first major projects was to carve a scene from mythology on marble as a relief panel – the battle of the centaurs. These creatures, with the heads and arms of men and bodies of horses, gave him plenty of scope to show action and form. The realism and gentle precision of this work is remarkable for a sculptor of such a young age. The other major piece that Michelangelo produced while working in the House of Medici was a relief panel called Madonna of the Steps. It shows the Virgin Mary nursing the infant Jesus. The piece is carved on fine white marble and shows the Madonna’s face in profile as she holds her infant son against her.
Things were going remarkably well for the 17-year-old. He was living in the inner sanctum of the richest family in the city, and he had a powerful patron who admired his talent. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to last. In April 1492, Lorenzo suddenly died. His son, Piero, took over but cared little for sculpture. He gave Michelangelo no work until the winter when he decided that he would like a snowman made. He ordered Michelangelo to make one. It would prove to be the artist’s strangest commission.
Around this same time, the prior of Santo Spirito asked the young sculptor to make a crucifix for his church. Delighted with the result, the prior gave Michelangelo the use of a room in which he could work. Here he was able to dissect corpses to study anatomy. In order to create the most lifelike sculptures of the human body, he believed he had to know how it was put together. Thus, he became one of the first people to dissect and study the human body in this way.
**A New Patron**
By 1494, Florence was facing a crisis. An army led by King Charles VIII of France was at the walls, threatening to overrun the city. Many people, including Michelangelo, fled the city. He traveled to Bologna in northern Italy and then on to Venice, an important trading city. Here, Michelangelo hoped to find work. However, he could not find any employment, so he went back to Bologna. Having lost his old patron, Michelangelo set out in search of a replacement. He found it in the form of Gianfrancesco Aldrovandi, a local noble and politician. Aldrovandi set his talented new sculptor to the task of carving the missing figures at the unfinished shrine of San Domenico in the church of the same name. Again, Michelangelo, now twenty, had fallen on his feet. He enjoyed a comfortable home, had stone and supplies provided, and received commissions for his artwork. Just as had happened in Florence, this bred resentment among other sculptors who had to pay rent, buy tools and stone, and survive out of their own pockets.
**Return to Florence**
Meanwhile, back in Florence, a change of power had occurred. A priest named Girolamo Savonarola had instigated a fierce campaign against the House of Medici. When the threat of French invasion emerged, the House of Medici fled the city, leaving Savonarola free to take power. This strict churchman disapproved of paintings and sculptures that showed the naked human body. As a result, prospects were not good for local sculptors. However, in 1495, Michelangelo felt a great urge to return to Florence to see his family. While there, he made contact with some members of the House of Medici, now living under false names. One of them, Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici, wanted Michelangelo to help him sell a statue that he had made earlier. It was a figure of the Roman god of love, Cupid. If the statue was aged to look like an ancient statue, Lorenzo reasoned, it would make a lot of money in Rome.
Michelangelo smeared the statue with dirt to make it look as if it had been buried. He then took the forged antique to Rome, where it was purchased by a senior churchman, Cardinal Riario. While in Rome, Michelangelo was introduced to some powerful people, including members of the Borgia family, among them the Pope. Cardinal Riario, who was well aware that Michelangelo was the creator of Cupid, quickly commissioned him to create another statue for his collection. The statue that resulted has come to be regarded as Michelangelo’s first masterpiece – the statue of Bacchus, the Greek god of wine and celebrations. Yet, although everyone else was impressed, the cardinal was not. He thought the god looked too drunk and refused to pay for the work. Michelangelo now had to fight to get paid for a job he had already completed. On top of this, he received news that his father had fallen into financial difficulties. What he needed, and fast, was a new patron to support not just himself but also his family.
**The Pietà**
For several months, nothing seemed to pan out for the 21-year-old master sculptor. He was without a patron, without payment for his Bacchus statue, and his father was in desperate need of financial assistance. Then, in November of 1497, things took a turn for the better. He was commissioned to produce an exciting new work by a French Ambassador named Cardinal Jean Bilheres de Lagraulas. The Cardinal envisioned a statue of the Virgin Mary cradling the dead Jesus, a subject known as the Pietà. It took Michelangelo two years to complete the Pietà, but it was worth it. The finished work was displayed in the Vatican, and everyone who saw it was amazed at the realism of the flesh and fabric that the sculptor had fashioned from cold marble. The Pietà made Michelangelo famous. Now, the most powerful men in Europe were clamoring to have him do work for them. It seemed as if his financial woes were well and truly behind him.
**Artist to the Pope**
Back in Florence, the scene had changed once again. Savonarola had fallen into disfavor and been executed. It was now safe for artists to return and pursue projects there. The authorities of the Florentine cathedral began to formulate the idea to commission a giant statue of the Biblical figure David. Two sculptors had already been commissioned to do the job but had failed, leaving the huge block of marble almost unusable. In 1501, the job was given to Michelangelo. To take on the project, the sculptor had to stop working on another job in Rome and relocate to Florence. This flitting from one project to another became a common practice, often creating legal ramifications.
The creation of David was an immensely challenging and lengthy job. The first decision was to choose a pose that fit with the way the marble had already been worked. This prevented him from emulating the traditional pose, which showed David standing with Goliath’s head at his feet. So, he decided to depict David in the moments before the fight, as he looked upon his foe. His next move was to surround the huge marble with barricades. Then he went to work. He tirelessly chipped away at the giant. Three years later, the statue of David was completed. It was a triumph, with crowds lavishing praise on the creator of the 14-foot nude figure. The man who had commissioned the work, Piero Soderini, ruler of Florence, was also impressed but told Michelangelo that David’s nose was too broad. The sculptor’s pride now came to the fore, but it was tempered with common sense. Taking a handful of marble dust, he climbed up the scaffolding and pretended to chisel the nose, letting the dust fall to the ground. Soderini declared that the nose was now much better.
**Sistine Chapel**
In 1503, a new pope, Julius II, was elected in Rome. Julius had great artistic ambitions and knew who he wanted to spearhead the many projects he had in mind. Only Italy’s greatest sculptor, Michelangelo, had the skills needed to do justice to the grand works that the pope envisioned. Julius knocked down the unstable fifth-century Basilica of St. Peter’s in the Vatican and began rebuilding the church on a much grander scale. The centerpiece was to be his own tomb, designed and carved by Michelangelo. This massive project was intended to show the greatness of Julius as both a pope and a patron of the arts. It was to be three stories high and covered in life-sized sculptures. The sculptor spent the first eight months just quarrying the marble needed for the project. It would prove to be his most frustrating project, one on which he would work on and off for the next 40 years. In the end, the finished tomb was smaller than planned but still vast. Only three of the statues were by Michelangelo – the large, bearded Moses and the Biblical characters Rachel and Leah. Instead of being placed in St. Peter’s, it was put in the much less grand church of San Pietro.
Four years into the tomb project, Pope Julius set his sights on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. The ceiling was painted with a pattern of gold stars, but the Pope envisioned something far grander. Even though Michelangelo was known as a sculptor and not a painter, the Pope chose him for the work. The great sculptor had not worked on a fresco since his days as an apprentice back in Florence. But when the pope chose you for a job, you did it, even if reluctantly. Michelangelo considered himself to be a servant to the whims of the Pope. He wrote about the painting project, expressing his frustrations.
It was a massive job. The chapel’s ceiling covered a curved surface of about 5,600 square feet (507 square meters). Additionally, the ceiling had an uneven surface and was 60 feet above the chapel’s floor. The Pope commissioned the artist to fill this canvas with scenes from the Old Testament. Michelangelo planned out nine scenes taken from the book of Genesis, with the centerpiece being the creation of Adam. For four painstaking years, Michelangelo worked on the ceiling. It was back-breaking work. The figures were designed to be seen from the floor, but the artist had to paint high up on scaffolding, lying on his back. According to his official biographer, Condivi, he worked on his own, applying the plaster, mixing the colors, and doing all the painting. The results were breathtaking. The use of perspective and the dramatic rendition of the figures were admired by everyone who saw it.
Having triumphantly completed the Sistine Chapel project, Michelangelo returned to his work on the tomb of Julius. When Pope Julius died in 1513, the urgency went out of the project. In 1517, the new Pope, Leo X, asked Michelangelo to design a new facade for the church of San Lorenzo in Florence. Though he had no experience as an architect, the sculptor was confident that he could do a good job. He threw himself into the project, buying a piece of land near the church to work on his facade. But then, in 1520, the project was put on hold and then canceled altogether. Michelangelo was furious. He had invested himself fully, both physically and financially, into the project. Partly to placate him, the Pope gave him a replacement project – the Medici Tombs, to be created in remembrance of two members of the family who had died prematurely. Michelangelo began work on the Medici Chapel in 1519, to which a library was added a few years later. Both buildings took years to complete and are stunning designs.
**C
Art – The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. – The art of the Renaissance period is renowned for its focus on realism and human emotion.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs, often with a focus on understanding the causes and effects of those events. – The history of art provides insight into the cultural and social dynamics of different eras.
Sculpture – The art of making two- or three-dimensional representative or abstract forms, especially by carving stone or wood or by casting metal or plaster. – Michelangelo’s David is a prime example of Renaissance sculpture that showcases the artist’s mastery of anatomy.
Renaissance – A period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity, characterized by a revival of interest in the classical art and learning of Ancient Greece and Rome. – The Renaissance was a pivotal moment in history that saw the flourishing of art, science, and literature.
Florence – A city in central Italy, considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, known for its rich history in art and architecture. – Florence was home to many influential artists and thinkers during the Renaissance, including Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Patronage – The support, encouragement, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another, often seen in the context of the arts. – The Medici family’s patronage was crucial in the development of Renaissance art in Florence.
Masterpiece – A work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship, often regarded as the greatest work of an artist or a period. – Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance art.
Realism – An artistic movement that began in France in the 1850s, characterized by the depiction of subjects as they appear in everyday life, without embellishment or interpretation. – The realism in Caravaggio’s paintings brought a new level of emotional depth to religious art.
Anatomy – The branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, animals, and other living organisms, often used in art to accurately depict the human form. – Renaissance artists like Leonardo da Vinci studied anatomy to enhance the realism of their human figures.
Legacy – Something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor, often referring to cultural or artistic achievements that have a lasting impact. – The legacy of the Renaissance continues to influence modern art and thought.
