Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)

Nationality:
Italian

Movement:
High Renaissance

Education:
Was an apprentice in the workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio for three years; attended a sculpture workshop set up by Lorenzo Medici

Life/Lifestyle:
A brilliant painter and master sculptor, Michelangelo Buonarroti was born to the mayor of Caprese, Italy on March 6, 1475. Lorenzo Medici, a member of the royal family of Florence, opened a sculpture workshop which Michelangelo attended regularly. His work impressed the Medicis so much that he was invited to live in the palace.
His return to Florence marked the production of numerous commissions including David, and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. One point of irony regarding Michelangelo is that he is regarded as one of the master painters of history, yet he never thought of himself as a good painter. He always felt more attached to sculpture, expressing the art of three-dimensional forms of the human figure. He did numerous sculptures, among the most famous was David, the protagonist from the story of David and Goliath. He received the position of chief architect, sculptor, and painter at the Vatican. He kept working on the Vatican until his death in February of 1564.

Style/Significance:
Michelangelo created masterpieces such as the statue of David that demonstrates the knowledge of proportions in the human figure. The statue stands far taller than an average person, yet it looks natural at any angle because each part of his body is position correctly. In Pieta, the proportional relationship of Jesus to the Virgin Mary also has a new sense of realism. The two figures are similar in size, where as if this were a Gothic piece, the figure of Jesus would be smaller than Mary.
Michelangelo also used a lot of nudity, particularly the male figure, in his artwork. It was somewhat shocking at that time, especially on the frescos and other areas so often seen by the public. It brings the beauty of the human figure to new levels. Michelangelo's figures were much bolder, more revealing than that of other artists in his time. Some found it so startling that artists were later hired to cover up the nudity in his paintings.
In addition, Michelangelo was another artists who mastered the chiaroscuro effect that took art to a new level. The effect of light on the darks and lights of the muscles of the male nudes that he paints, just as the light would hit the muscles on his sculptures.

Famous Pieces:
Ceiling Paintings of the Sistine Chapel
David
Pieta