Michelangelo Buonarroti

Michelangelo Buonarroti

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (commonly known as “Michelangelo”) was born on 6th March 1475. He was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, poet, and engineer of the High Renaissance. He was responsible for influencing and development of the Western art. He was considered for the title of archetypal Renaissance man, as he showed versatility in arts and other forays.

Childhood

Michelangelo was born in Caprese near Arezzo, Tuscany. He was born to father Ludovico di Leonardo Buonarroti Simoni, who was at a government post in Caprese, and mother Francesca di Neri del Miniato di Siena. After Michelangelo's birth, the family returned to Florence, where Michelangelo was raised. At later times, during his mother's prolonged illness and after her death in 1481, when he was just six years old, Michelangelo lived with a stonecutter and his wife and family in the town of Settignano, where his father owned a marble quarry and a small farm.

Education

Young Michelangelo started his studies under the Humanist Francesco da Urbino, but showed no interest. He was more inclined towards copying the paintings from churches and get along with other painters. In, 1488, at the age of 14, Michelangelo apprenticed the great artist Ghirlandaio, and worked under his guidance.

Career

His first notable work came in 1498-99, when he sculptured Pieta, St Peter’s Basilica. Later in 1505, he carved out the most famous and renowned sculpture ‘The Statue of David’. He came in talks when he gave four years of hard work to paint the ceiling of Sistine Chapel in the most creative manner, from 1508-12.

During early 1530s, Michelangelo shifted to Rome, there he produced the wall painting of ‘The Last Judgement Day’ for which he took 7 years to complete starting in 1534.

At the End

In his old age, Michelangelo created a number of Pietas depicting mortality. Some of the known last works of him were Pieta of Vittoria Colonna and Florentine Pieta. Later, he died a natural death in his old age on 18th February 1564.