Michelangelo Michelangelo was one of the most inspired creators in the history of art and the most potent force in the Italian High Renaissance. As a sculptor, architect, painter, and poet, he exerted a tremendous influence on his contemporaries and on subsequent Western art in general

Early Life A Florentine—although born March 6, 1475, Michelangelo continued to have a deep attachment to his city. He came from a respectful family and was the 2nd born of three brothers Michelangelo’s family moved to Settignano, a village outside of Florence, after his mother passed away when he was 6 years old

Early Education At age 12 he was enrolled as an apprentice to prominent Florentine painter, Domenico Ghirlandaia, but soon began to study sculpture instead He attracted the attention of Lorenzo de Medici, who then was the leading art patron of Florence From 1490-1492 Michelangelo lived with the Medici Family where he studied with Bertoldo di Giovanni, a sculptor employed by the Medici family

Relief Sculpture At age 16, Michelangelo’s completed his first relief sculpture called The Battle of Centaurs He then created The Madonna of the Stairs which began to show movement and force

Transitional Time Due to political unrest and the death of a prominent Medici family member, Michelangelo’s circumstances changed and he returns to his father’s house. Michelangelo moves and bounces around, until again returning to the service the famous Medici family. His world changes when Michelangelo is asked to “fix” a sculpture to be sold to a Cardinal in Rome. Out of this commission Michelangelo receives the attention of the Vatican and his career begins.

Pieta After Michelangelo receives this positive attention he travels to Rome where he remained from 1496-1501 . This statue is larger than life size and and was completed for a French Ambassador. The marble Pietà (1498-1500), still in its original place in Saint Peter's Basilica. One of the most famous works of art, the Pietà was probably finished before Michelangelo was 23 years old. The Pieta, is a marble statue that shows the Virgin Mary with the dead Jesus lying across her lap. It is the only piece he ever signed.

David The artist returns to Florence around 1501 and produces the magnificent David. He chose to represent David as an athletic, manly character, very concentrated and ready to fight Florence was going through a difficult period and he used the David as a model of heroic courage The piece was finished in 1504 and stands over 14 ft. tall. (Monumental)

Pope Julius II: Two Commissions Michelangelo was recalled to Rome by Pope Julius II in 1505 for two commissions. The most important one was for the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Working high above the chapel floor Michelangelo painted, some of the finest pictorial images of all time. The other commission was for the Pope’s tomb and was a series of sculptures, including Moses.

Sistine Chapel Ceiling From 1508 until 1512, Michelangelo worked on his most famous project, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican On the vault of the papal chapel, he devised an intricate system of decoration that included nine scenes from the Book of Genesis. The Story of Genesis with scenes of God creating the world The story of Adam and Eve The story of Noah and the great flood These centrally located narratives are surrounded by alternating images of prophets and sibyls on marble thrones, by other Old Testament subjects, and by the ancestors of Christ.

Ceiling Preparations In order to prepare for this enormous work, Michelangelo drew numerous figure studies and cartoons, devising scores of figure types and poses. These awesome, mighty images, demonstrating Michelangelo's masterly understanding of human anatomy and movement, changed the course of painting in the West.

The Creation Of Man

The Creation of the Heavens

The Erythraean Sibyl and The Prophet Zachariah

Restoration Started in 1980 and was unveiled in April 1994 PURPOSE: To use only those procedures and materials which were simple, extensively tested, not harmful, and reversible. To repair cracks and structural damage that threatened the stability of the plaster. To remove layers of grime consisting of candle wax and soot that had been deposited by the burning of candles in the chapel for 500 years. To remove repainting by previous restorers that attempted to counteract the effects of soot and other accretions. To conserve surfaces that were in danger of further deterioration because of bubbling, and flaking. To maintain in small defined areas a physical historical record of the previous restorations that had taken place.

Some 25,000 people a day, or five million people a year, visit the chapel. Entry to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel costs €16, an annual revenue for the Vatican of around €80 million or £70 million a year. Julius II had his own plans for the Sistine Chapel frescoes – images of the twelve Apostles. Michelangelo dismissed the idea as a “poor thing”.

Pope Julius II: Second Commission The Pope commission’s Michelangelo to create sculptures for his tomb. Michelangelo made some of his finest sculpture for the Julius Tomb, including the Moses (circa 1515), the central figure in the much reduced monument now located in Rome's church of San Pietro.

Michelangelo works on this tomb for 40 years due to interruptions.

Altar Wall: The Last Judgment 1536-1541 -Pope Paul III -60 yrs old Originally the painting contained nude representations, which were covered later by the “breeches maker”

Final Days Towards the end of his life, Michelangelo became more involved in architecture and poetry From 1540-1550 he redesigned St. Peter’s Church in Rome, completing only the dome and four columns Michelangelo died of old age on February 18th, 1564