Painter, sculptor, architect and poet Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti

Simoni (March 6, 1475 to February 18, 1564) is considered one of the most
famous artists of the Italian Renaissance, with works including the "David" and
"Pieta" statues and the ceiling paintings of Rome's Sistine Chapel, including
the "Last Judgment." Born to a family of moderate means in the banking
business, Michelangelo became an apprentice to a painter before studying in
the sculpture gardens of the powerful Medici family. What followed was a
remarkable career as an artist, recognized in his own time for his artistic
virtuosity. Although he always considered himself a Florentine, Michelangelo
lived most of his life in Rome, where he died at age 88.

Michelangelo’s Sculptures

'Pieta'

Soon after Michelangelo's move to Rome in 1498, the cardinal Jean Bilhères
de Lagraulas, a representative of the French King Charles VIII to the pope,
commissioned "Pieta," a sculpture of Mary holding the dead Jesus across her
lap. Michelangelo, who was just 25 years old at the time, finished his work in
less than one year, and the statue was erected in the church of the cardinal's
tomb. At 6 feet wide and nearly as tall, the statue has been moved five times
since, to its present place of prominence St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

Carved from a single piece of Carrara marble, the fluidity of the fabric,
positions of the subjects, and "movement" of the skin of the Piet — meaning
"pity" or "compassion" — created awe for its early spectators. It is the only
work to bear Michelangelo’s name: Legend has it that he overheard pilgrims
attribute the work to another sculptor, so he boldly carved his signature in the
sash across Mary's chest. Today, the "Pieta" remains an incredibly revered
work.

'David'
Between 1501 and 1504, Michelangelo took over a commission for a statue of
"David," which two prior sculptors had previously attempted and abandoned,
and turned the 17-foot piece of marble into a dominating figure. The strength
of the statue's sinews, vulnerability of its nakedness, humanity of expression
and overall courage made the "David" a prized representative of the city of
Florence. Originally commissioned for the cathedral of Florence, the
Florentine government instead installed the statue in front of the Palazzo
Vecchio. It now lives in Florence’s Accademia gallery

Michelangelo’s Paintings

'Sistine Chapel'

Pope Julius II asked Michelangelo to switch from sculpting to painting to

decorate the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which the artist revealed on
October 31, 1512. The project fueled Michelangelo’s imagination, and the
original plan for 12 apostles morphed into more than 300 figures on the ceiling
of the sacred space. (The work later had to be completely removed soon after
due to an infectious fungus in the plaster, then recreated.) Michelangelo fired
all of his assistants, whom he deemed inept, and completed the 65-foot ceiling
alone, spending endless hours on his back and guarding the project jealously
until completion.

The resulting masterpiece is a transcendent example of High Renaissance art

incorporating the Christian symbology, prophecy and humanist principles that
Michelangelo had absorbed during his youth. The vivid vignettes of
Michelangelo's Sistine ceiling produce a kaleidoscope effect, with the most
iconic image being the "Creation of Adam," a portrayal of God touching the
finger of man. Rival Roman painter Raphael evidently altered his style after
seeing the work.

'Last Judgment'

Michelangelo unveiled the soaring "Last Judgment" on the far wall of the
Sistine Chapel in 1541. There was an immediate outcry that the nude figures
were inappropriate for so holy a place, and a letter called for the destruction of
the Renaissance's largest fresco. The painter retaliated by inserting into the
work new portrayals: Of his chief critic as a devil and himself as the flayed St.
Bartholomew.
Architecture

Although Michelangelo continued to sculpt and paint throughout his life,

following the physical rigor of painting the Sistine Chapel he turned his focus
toward architecture. He continued to work on the tomb of Julius II, which the
pope had interrupted for his Sistine Chapel commission, for the next several
decades. Michelangelo also designed the Medici Chapel and the Laurentian
Library — located opposite the Basilica San Lorenzo in Florence — to house
the Medici book collection. These buildings are considered a turning point in
architectural history. But Michelangelo's crowning glory in this field came
when he was made chief architect of St. Peter's Basilica in 1546.

When and Where Was Michelangelo Born?

Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475, in Caprese, Italy, the second of five
sons.

Family, Early Life and Education

When Michelangelo was born, his father, Leonardo di Buonarrota Simoni, was
briefly serving as a magistrate in the small village of Caprese. The family
returned to Florence when Michelangelo was still an infant. His mother,
Francesca Neri, was ill, so Michelangelo was placed with a family of
stonecutters, where he later jested, "With my wet-nurse's milk, I sucked in the
hammer and chisels I use for my statues."

Indeed, Michelangelo was less interested in schooling than watching the

painters at nearby churches and drawing what he saw, according to his
earliest biographers (Vasari, Condivi and Varchi). It may have been his
grammar school friend, Francesco Granacci, six years his senior, who
introduced Michelangelo to painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. Michelangelo's
father realized early on that his son had no interest in the family financial
business, so he agreed to apprentice him, at the age of 13, to the fashionable
Florentine painter's workshop. There, Michelangelo was exposed to the
technique of fresco.

Michelangelo and the Medicis

From 1489 to 1492, Michelangelo studied classical sculpture in the palace
gardens of Florentine ruler Lorenzo the Magnificent of the powerful Medici
family. This extraordinary opportunity opened to him after spending only a
year at Ghirlandaio’s workshop, at his mentor’s recommendation. This was a
fertile time for Michelangelo; his years with the family permitted him access to
the social elite of Florence — allowing him to study under the respected
sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni and exposing him to prominent poets, scholars
and learned Humanists. He also obtained special permission from the
Catholic Church to study cadavers for insight into anatomy, though exposure
to corpses had an adverse effect on his health.

These combined influences laid the groundwork for what would become
Michelangelo's distinctive style: a muscular precision and reality combined
with an almost lyrical beauty. Two relief sculptures that survive, "Battle of the
Centaurs" and "Madonna Seated on a Step," are testaments to his unique
talent at the tender age of 16.

Move to Rome

Political strife in the aftermath of Lorenzo the Magnificent’s death led

Michelangelo to flee to Bologna, where he continued his study. He returned to
Florence in 1495 to begin work as a sculptor, modeling his style after
masterpieces of classical antiquity.

There are several versions of an intriguing story about Michelangelo's "Cupid"

sculpture, which was artificially "aged" to resemble a rare antique: One
version claims that Michelangelo aged the statue to achieve a certain patina,
and another version claims that his art dealer buried the sculpture (an "aging"
method) before attempting to pass it off as an antique.

Cardinal Riario of San Giorgio bought the "Cupid" sculpture, believing it as

such, and demanded his money back when he discovered he'd been duped.
Strangely, in the end, Riario was so impressed with Michelangelo's work that
he let the artist keep the money. The cardinal even invited the artist to Rome,
where Michelangelo would live and work for the rest of his life.

Personality
Though Michelangelo's brilliant mind and copious talents earned him the
regard and patronage of the wealthy and powerful men of Italy, he had his
share of detractors. He had a contentious personality and quick temper, which
led to fractious relationships, often with his superiors. This not only got
Michelangelo into trouble, it created a pervasive dissatisfaction for the painter,
who constantly strived for perfection but was unable to compromise.

He sometimes fell into spells of melancholy, which were recorded in many of

his literary works: "I am here in great distress and with great physical strain,
and have no friends of any kind, nor do I want them; and I do not have enough
time to eat as much as I need; my joy and my sorrow/my repose are these
discomforts," he once wrote.

In his youth, Michelangelo had taunted a fellow student, and received a blow
on the nose that disfigured him for life. Over the years, he suffered increasing
infirmities from the rigors of his work; in one of his poems, he documented the
tremendous physical strain that he endured by painting the Sistine Chapel
ceiling. Political strife in his beloved Florence also gnawed at him, but his
most notable enmity was with fellow Florentine artist Leonardo da Vinci, who
was more than 20 years his senior.

Poetry and Personal Life

Michelangelo's poetic impulse, which had been expressed in his sculptures,

paintings and architecture, began taking literary form in his later years.

Although he never married, Michelangelo was devoted to a pious and noble

widow named Vittoria Colonna, the subject and recipient of many of his more
than 300 poems and sonnets. Their friendship remained a great solace to
Michelangelo until Colonna's death in 1547. In 1532, Michelangelo developed
an attachment to a young nobleman, Tommaso de'Cavalieri (scholars dispute
whether this was a homosexual or paternal relationship).

When and How Did Michelangelo Die?

Michelangelo died on February 18, 1564 — just weeks before his 89th
birthday — at his home in Macel de'Corvi, Rome, following a brief illness. A
nephew bore his body back to Florence, where he was revered by the public
as the "father and master of all the arts." He was laid to rest at the Basilica di
Santa Croce — his chosen place of burial.

Legacy

Unlike many artists, Michelangelo achieved fame and wealth during his
lifetime. He also had the peculiar distinction of living to see the publication of
two biographies about his life, written by Giorgio Vasari and Ascanio Condivi.
Appreciation of Michelangelo's artistic mastery has endured for centuries, and
his name has become synonymous with the best of the Italian Renaissance.
Painter, sculptor, architect and poet Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti
Simoni (March 6, 1475 to February 18, 1564) is considered one of the most
famous artists of the Italian Renaissance, with works including the "David" and
"Pieta" statues and the ceiling paintings of Rome's Sistine Chapel, including
the "Last Judgment."