In continuation of the history of the glorious Renaissance period in Europe, this narrative would be incomplete without the mention of another legendary artist, of the time. With Da Vinci and Raphael, was another genius, Michaelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, commonly referred to as Michelangelo. His work is a feast to the eyes, to say the least. Here are some interesting aspects about him.
Life history- Michaelangelo was born in Tuscany, in a town known as Caprese in 1473. He was born to a family of bankers. However, after the banks collapsed in Florence, where they were employed, his father took a post in Caprese. A few months after he was born, his family returned to Florence, where he grew up in the town of Settignano. He was initially put in a workshop, where he was made to do paintings, a description of which can be found in Irving Stone’s moving biography of him, titled, Of Agony and Ecstacy. Along with painting, he also wanted to work with sculptures and work with marble, for which the world remembers him. He was also influenced by the logic of humanism, and another rebellious creative artistic style, commonly known as mannerism. Mannerism generally consists of exaggerated proportions, elongated bodies, and twisted poses. This is evident through most of his famous sculptures.
Sculptures- Michelangelo produced his masterpieces at a fairly young age. All of them are hailed by the world today. There is David, which is based on the myth of David and Goliath. Present in Florence today, the sheer size of the statue, and the technical sophistication, that Michaelangelo applied when molding it is sure to make anyone gape with amazement! This is also a classic example of mannerism. Another of his famous sculptures is the Pieta, where mother Mary is holding the dead body of Jesus. This is another masterpiece. The life-like appeal of these statues is remarkable.
Sistine Chapel- The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was also painted by Michelangelo. The whole ceiling was painted by him laying on his back. It is undoubtedly one of the greatest pieces of art today. While walking through the Sistine Chapel and looking above, one is struck by depictions of the story of Adam and Eve. The figures are almost coming out of the ceiling. The most famous, however, is the painting of Judgement Day, for which he was ostracized by the church, as it depicted the common people. It is mesmerizing to see!
