Michelangelo1475 - 1564

Early life • As a young boy, he learned sculpture in the

Brancacci Chapel of Santa Maria del Carmine

• This was known as the great school for artists of the fifteenth century led by the sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni

• He began interest in the harmonious beauty of the human body, expressive playing of the muscles, but he wanted to search for more: A deeper psychological moral.

• Michelangelo initially turned to painting, he was inclined by nature and preference more to than sculpture.

Fig. 1 Venusti‘s portrait of Michelangelo

Bacchus (1497)• Meaning the God ‘Dionysus’ in Greek Mythology • The statue of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, in a state of

inebriation that was revolutionary for its time• Michelangelo gave the sculpture a high center of gravity and

a staggering attitude with which the symbolic crown of vine leaves the impression that the wine had to be mounted on the head

• Celebrations in honour of Bacchus were called Bacchanalia. In ancient times, only women were allowed to attend these festivals.

• “This was the first large-scale free-standing statue executed by Michelangelo. Commissioned by the banker Jacopo Galliand made in Rome, the work bears witness to the influence on the artist of classical sculpture.” (Bonechi Books, 2000:102).

• The little satyr/fawn, ‘the buttress’, is considered mischievous, satisfied by the bunches of grapes.

Fig. 2 Bacchus (1497)/Little Satyr

Florence

• Located on the Arno River in Italy

• From a small province, to a self governed community, to one of the largest Cities in Europe.

• Florence found itself at war with different parties from the late 1300’s to the early 1400’s, this is when the Medici family began to take control.

• The Medici family stayed behind the sense in the political world but were always in control, guiding the city, this was until 1494

• 1494 the French King took control of the city and the Family was cast out.

• After this Girolamo Savonarola rules for only a few years.

• The aristocrats ruled over the city for 15 years.

• 1512 the Medici return to the city and though turbulent they rule for many years.

• The City flourished during the renaissance period, most of the cities wealth is put into the arts.

Mid life

• 1508 Michelangelo is asked to paint the Sistine Chapel

• There are 343 figures in the final piece

• Michelangelo depicts stories from the bible in the panels such as the creation of Adam and Eve, the temptation and the flood.

• He painted looking straight up.

• “…I felt as old and as weary as Jeremiah. I was only 37, yet friends did not recognize the old man I had become.”

http://www.michelangelo.com/buon/bio-index2.html

Fig. 3 Sistine Chapel

• He then returned to the tomb he had been asked to make for Pope Julius ll .

• The original plan had been very elaborate but it was made more humble.

• These are just two of the many pieces he created during this time in his life.

Fig. 4 Tomb of pope Julius ll

Mid life

David (1501-1504)• Widely considered a masterpiece of sculpture

worldwide, David portrays the biblical hero in the moment, preparing to meet Goliath. Originally located in Piazza della Signoria; it acts as one of the emblems of the Renaissance and a symbol of Florence.

• “The block of marble was not compact, it was riddled with veins and above all it was tall and narrow, more suitable for slender gothic statues than for the muscular, active representations of Renaissance heroes.” (Ciuccetti, 1998:5).

• A pose of heroic nude, whose form was the physical realisation of a complex set of philosophical and aesthetic values.

Fig. 5 Bacchus (1497)/Little Satyr

End of life

• Michelangelo lived far into his 80’s

• His last piece was the Rondanini Pieta

• He died 17th February 1564

• His final resting place was Santa Croce

Fig 6 The Rondanini Pieta

Influence on later artists

• Mannerism (c1520 – 1600) was an art style based upon exaggerations of Michelangelo’s style; especially complex poses and elongated characters (Microsoft Encarta, 2001)

Fig. 7 Madonna with Long Neck

Michelangelo in Modern Culture

• Michelangelo’s works continue to be recognised, even by people not familiar with art.

• There are many parodies of his most famous works in popular culture

Fig. 8 The Homer of Seville (2007)

Michelangelo in Modern Culture

• Some parodies take advantage of his works modern religious associations

Fig.9 Touched by his Noodly Appendage (2011)

Michelangelo in Modern Culture

• Others subvert his works to make a point about modern culture

Fig. 10 David (2011)

List of Illustrations• Figure 1. Venusti (1535) Michelangelo [Painting] At: http://www.fullissue.com/wp-

content/uploads/Michelangelo.gif (accessed:28.03.11)• Figure 2. Michelangelo (1497) Bacchus [Marble] At:

http://www.backtoclassics.com/images/pics/michelangelo/michelangelo_bacchus.jpg • (accessed:28.03.11)

Figure 3. Michelangelo (1501-1504) The David [Marble] At: http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/87/60287-050-5124A0CE.jpg (accessed:28.03.11)

• Figure 4. Michelangelo (1508-1512) Sistine Chapel At: http://ineaux.deviantart.com/art/Sistine-Chapel-172504974. (Accessed on 30/03/2011)

• Figure 5. Michelangelo (1513) Tomb of Pope Julius ll At: http://artmight.com/albums/2011-02-07/art-upload-2/m/Michelangelo-Buonarroti/Tomb-of-Pope-Julius-EUR.jpg (Accessed on 30/3/11)

• Figure 6. Michelangelo (1564) The Rondanini Pieta At: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AY94WkTRRUCs9BQNHtx6SQ (Accessed on 30/3/11)

• Figure 7. Parmagianino (1535-1540) Madonna with Long Neck [Oil on Wood] At: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Parmigianino_003b.jpg (Accessed on 28/03/2011)

• Figure 8. 20th Century Fox (2007) The Homer Of Seville [Still] [Online] At: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Simpsons-michaelangelo.jpg (Accessed on 22/03/2011)

• Figure 9. Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (2011) Touched by his Noodly Apendage [Digital Image] At: http://www.venganza.org/materials/ (Accessed on 22/03/2011)

• Figure 10. Florence Studio (2011) David [Plaster] At: http://www.florencestudio.it/bb/7210C7243C.htm (Accessed on 22/03/2011)

Biography

• Rolf Schott, 1965, Michelangelo, London, Thames and Hudson

• Linda Murray, 1984, Michelangelo His Life and Times, London, Thames and Hudson Ltd

• Ciuccetti, L. (1998) Michelangelo. David. Ediz. Inglese. (2nd ed.) Milan: Giunti Editore

• Microsoft Encarta (2001) Michelangelohttp://artistbios.everestwebworks.com/Michelangelo.html (Accessed on 28/03/2011)

• http://www.michelangelo.com/buon/bio-index2.html (Accessed on 25/03/2011)

• Bonechi Books. (2004) Florence. (1st ed.) Italy: Casa Editrice Bonechi

• G, D, Cagno. (2008) Michelangelo. (2nd ed.) USA : The Oliver Press

• D, Biow. (2010) In Your Face: Professional Improprieties and the Art of Being Conspicuous in Sixteenth-Century Italy. (2nd ed.) California : Stanford University Press