Michelangelo Buonarroti

Born in the small town of Caprese (Now known as Caprese Michelangelo), near Arezzo, Tuscany, Michelangelo Buonarroti knew from a young age he was destined to be an artist. His father, Ludovico di Leonardo Buonarroti Simoni, came from a family of small scale bankers in Florence, but when the bank failed, Ludovico took a brief government post in Caprese where Michelangelo was born, but soon after his birth the family moved back to florence where he was raised.

When he was six, his mother died after a prolonged illness, and Michelangelo lived with his nanny and her husband, a stonecutter who lived at a marble quarry and small farm owned by his father. It was here Michelangelo gained his love for marble. Showing little interest in schooling, preferring to copy paintings in churches and spend his time with other painters, at 13 years of age he was apprenticed to the workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio, a master mural painter. He excelled in this environment and his father persuaded Ghirlandaio to begin paying him as an artist, quite unheard of for a fourteen year old boy.

After a year working in the studio, Lorenzo de Medici, ruler of Florence, asked Ghirlandaio for his two best pupils. Michelangelo was put forward as one, so he moved into the Medici court where he studied for a short time under the sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni. At this time he created two sculptures, The relief “The Madonna of the stairs and “the Battle of the Centaurs” as commissions for Lorenzo de Medici.

Some of the best painters and sculptors of Europe came from Florence at this time, including Leonardo Da Vinci, however the city wasn’t able to offer large commissions at this time. The Medici were overthrown in 1494 but Michelangelo had left the city prior to the end of the political turmoil.

In 1496 Michelangelo arrived in Rome at the age of 21, and began a commission on a larger than life statue of the Roman wine god Bacchus. This led to a commission for one of his more famous works, an early masterpiece, the marble sculpture "Pieta". The “Pieta” showcased his extraordinary talent for rendering human anatomy and conveying profound emotion and was a commission for the French ambassador to the Holy See. 

Some of the best painters and sculptors of Europe came from Florence at this time, including Leonardo Da Vinci, however the city wasn’t able to offer large commissions at this time. The Medici were overthrown in 1494 but Michelangelo had left the city prior to the end of the political turmoil.

In 1496 Michelangelo arrived in Rome at the age of 21, and began a commission on a larger than life statue of the Roman wine god Bacchus. This led to a commission for one of his more famous works, an early masterpiece, the marble sculpture "Pieta". The “Pieta” showcased his extraordinary talent for rendering human anatomy and conveying profound emotion and was a commission for the French ambassador to the Holy See. 

The “Pieta” cemented Michelangelo’s prominence, which was reinforced at once by his next significant commission, the colossal statue of "David," completed when he was around 29 years old. This iconic sculpture, depicting the biblical hero David, symbolizes the spirit of Florence during the Renaissance and remains one of Michelangelo's most celebrated works.

Michelangelo regularly dismissed being influenced by other artists, however Leonardo Da Vinci’s return to Florence in 1500 after two decades was exciting to younger artists, and it is generally agreed that Michelangelo was among those affected. Leonardo was among a team of consultants that included Botticeli, Perugino, Davide Ghirladaio among others, to decide the placing of the “Statue of David”. It was installed in the front entrance of what is now known as the Palazzo Vecchio.

After the success of the “Statue of David”, Michelangelo’s work consisted almost entirely of large commissions. Two murals depicting the battle between Florence and Milan were marked for the council chamber of the Palazzo Vecchio. The Battle of Anghiari was to be done by Leonardo and the Battle of Cascina by Michelangelo. Neither of the works were finished and both were lost when the chambers were redecorated, but copies remain. The two works are vastly different, Leonardo’s depicting soldiers on horseback and Michelangelo’s has soldiers being ambushed as they bathe.

In 1505 Michelangelo was commissioned by the newly elected Pope Julius II to build the Popes tomb, which took him away from the Battle of Cascina mural. The tomb was a huge undertaking consisting of 40 statues and was to be finished in 5 years, however due to constant interruptions from the Pope in order to accomplish other tasks. Michelangelo was a well established artist by this stage and both he and Julius had hot tmepers and clashed constantly. Michelangelo secretly left Rome for Florence, but was eventually persuaded back, this time to take on a different task, the painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is considered a monumental achievement in Western art. The frescoes depict scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the creation of Adam and the Last Judgment. The painstaking work took four years to complete and is renowned for its composition, color, and portrayal of the human form.

Once finished, Michelangelo reverted to his preferred project of Poep Julius’ tomb, but after the Pope died in 1513, funds dried up for the project. The new Pope was Leo X, the second son of Lorenzo De Medici, who had known Michelangelo since their youth. He would primarily commission work for the Medici family from Michelangelo in Florence. The city was back under the rule of Leo’s cousin Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici, who would become Pope Clement VII and Michelangelo would work closely with him. 

Michelangelo was moving into architecture design with small projects at the Medici Mansion. One such project was the Medici Chapel. Michelangelo gave his attention to the marble interiors of the chapel up until 1527. It houses the statues”Night and Day”, and “Dawn and Dusk” as well as the Medici Madonna.

In 1527 the citizens of Florence threw the Medici’s out of power and restored the republic. Michelangelo decided to help his beloved Florence by designing fortifications for the city in 1528 and ‘29. The fortifications held until 1530 and the Medici were restored to power. Pope Clement VII sentenced Michelangelo to death. It is suspected Michelangelo hid for two months in a small chamber under the Medici chapels, making charcoal drawings which stayed hidden until the room was discovered in 1975. Michelangelo was eventually pardoned by the Pope, it appears they preferred his work on the tomb over his head.

In 1534 Michelangelo left Florence for Rome where he was to work designing notable buildings such as the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. His architectural contributions combined his artistic skill with engineering prowess, resulting in structures that were both aesthetically stunning and structurally innovative.

Michelangelo did not live to see the Dome completed. He died on February 18, 1564, at the age of 88, leaving behind a vast body of work that continues to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide. His impact on the development of Western art cannot be overstated, and he remains one of the most revered artists in history.

He was a complex and enigmatic figure, known for his intense devotion to his work and his sometimes difficult personality. Despite his fame and success, he often expressed a sense of dissatisfaction with his creations, constantly striving for perfection.

In series 2, episode 2 Kennardley interviews Michelangelo Buonarroti about his life in the Italian Renaissance period, his work as a sculptor, painter, architect and poet, and his (according to this interview) slight obsession with Leonardo da Vinci's opinion of him.

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