Introduction


Michelangelo (Library of Congress)
He sculpted his famous David before the age of thirty, designed a dome for St. Peter’s Basilica, and painted stellar frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. A painter, sculptor, architect, and even a poet, Michelangelo Buonarroti was one of the leaders of the fifteenth-century Italian Renaissance. Raised in Florence, Michelangelo spent much of his life there creating art for the Medici family or for the Papacy in Rome. His stormy working relationship with Pope Julian resulted in the beautifully painted dome of the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s first great sculpture, the Pieta. Unlike many extraordinary people, Michelangelo did not have to wait out the centuries to be appreciated: he was considered the greatest living artist of his time.

Essential Facts

  1. Michelangelo’s career was often controlled by the unstable political situation in Florence and in the Papal court. The powerful Pope Julian II forced Michelangelo into painting against his will.
  2. Michelangelo worked for four years on the dome in the Sistine Chapel. Contrary to popular belief, he did not often lie down while painting the ceiling. Instead, he stood on a scaffold and painted over his head.
  3. He used Old Testament stories to decorate the dome, mostly from Genesis. The reality of his figures transformed the way humans were portrayed in art and influenced painters for generations.
  4. Michelangelo had a difficult personality. Arrogant and often melancholy, he was also a perfectionist who spent little of the money he earned from his work. He lived in such squalor that he did not attract many students despite his obvious talent.
  5. Michelangelo died in Rome in 1564. After a public funeral, his remains were quietly returned to Florence.