Michelangelo's Painting example essay topic

Michelangelo Buonarroti was one of the best artists of all history. The word "masterpiece" comes to mind with a mention of his name. Michelangelo's artwork was like none other as it captures the amazing beauty of the human condition. Michelangelo worked in a time of conflict between the powers of the Medici family in Florence and the Papacy in Rome. This conflicting period had a tremendous impact on Michelangelo's life. Michelangelo Buonarroti was born on March 6, 1475 in a small village in Tuscany, known as Caprese.

Despite being born in this small village, Michelangelo always thought of himself as a "son of Florence", much like his father who considered himself "a Citizen of Florence". Michelangelo's mother was sick for most of the time Michelangelo knew her. Because of this, a nurse was hired to take care of Michelangelo. His mother died when he was the young age of six. Even before this Michelangelo was deprived of affection. This attributed to his touchy, isolated mannerism.

Michelangelo's father soon recognized his son's intelligence and desire to learn. By age 13, Michelangelo shocked his father when he agreed to apprentice in painter, Domenico Ghirlandaio's workshop. Michelangelo, born in the sixteenth century, was possibly one of the greatest artisans of all time. Michelangelo's artistic career can be divided into two periods. In the early period he focused on realism.

During this early period Michelangelo's works included the Pieta and the David. At the age of 24 he completed a statue called the "Pieta", which is still in its original place in Saint Peter's Basilica. This marble sculpture shows the dead Jesus Christ in his mother's arms. In 1501 Michelangelo returned to Florence, Italy to sculpt the famous nude sculpture called the "David".

The "David" measures 18 feet tall, and is so massive that it took 40 men to move it from Michelangelo's workshop (Hibbard). Michelangelo spent a year studying fresco art, and after that went to learn sculpture in a school in the Medici gardens. Soon after that Lorenzo de' Medici, the Magnificent asked Michelangelo into his home. By age 16, Michelangelo had already produced at least two relief sculptures. These two sculptures, Centaurs and the Madonna of the Stairs, illustrate how Michelangelo had already achieved a unique style at such an early age. Around 1495, Michelangelo left Florence and headed for Rome.

There he was able to view several classical statues and ruins. Soon there after, Michelangelo created his first large sculpture, a larger than life-sized Bacchus Bargello. This is one of the few pieces Michelangelo made with out Christianity as a subject. The statue is also unique because it is the only work Michelangelo ever signed. In 1501, a wealthy corporation with several responsibilities of the Cathedral called the Arte della Lana asked Michelangelo to sculpt a statue of David.

This gigantic sculpture became an important symbol of Michelangelo's early style. The statue's heroic image was designed to model patriotic feelings in relation to the difficult time period of Florence. The athletic, manly appearance of David perfectly represented these feelings Michelangelo had for Florence. Michelangelo was described as having a very bad temper. It is documented that "his brusque and rude manners, his difficult character, his touchiness and intransigence" caused many difficulties in his relations with others. There was always tension between Michelangelo and the famous artist, Leonardo Da Vinci, despite their age difference of over twenty years.

Da Vinci was still treated with great respect yet was forced to adjust to the rising of Michelangelo's fame. While still constructing the statue of David, Michelangelo was asked to demonstrate his painting abilities and create a mural. This mural was named the Battle of Castina, destined for the Sala dei Cinquecento of the Palazzo Vecchio. Michelangelo painted a series of both clothed and nude figures in various positions and poses. This image provided an introduction to the next major project Michelangelo would create, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. In 1508, Michelangelo was sent back to Rome where he was to begin designing a tomb for Julius II.

He was unable to start the tomb, however, due to a shortage in funds. The pope was prepared with another assignment for Michelangelo, to paint the 12 apostles on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo had always considered himself a sculptor, so it was with the Sistine Chapel that he had to perfect the art of fresco. Michelangelo originally refused the request to paint the ceiling, but eventually gave in to the assignment when he realized the importance of it. Michelangelo began his task with the assistance of Giuliano Bu giardini, Aristotle da San gallo, and Francesco Gran acci, as well as several other helpers. He soon fired all of his assistants and removed what had been painted because it did not please him.

During the time Michelangelo worked on the Sistine Chapel, only the pope was allowed to see his progress. However, due to the constant pressure to complete the painting, it was eventually uncovered sometime near the end of 1508. Raphael, a highly regarded artist working nearby in Stanze, was so impressed by Michelangelo's painting that his own work was affected. The process of painting the chapel was physically and emotionally torturous for Michelangelo.

As he said, "After four tortured years, more than 400 over life-sized figures, I felt old and as weary as Jeremiah. I was only 37, yet friends did not recognize the old man I had become". Michelangelo worked on the painting from 1508 to 1512, creating one of the best pieces of art of all history. The amazing scene showed several biblical images, including scenes of God separating Light from Darkness, the creation as well as the fall of Adam and Eve, and the flood. These images not only show Michelangelo's amazing abilities, but also eventually changed the Western style of painting.

The second period of Michelangelo's career was based upon his own imagination. In 1505 Michelangelo was summoned by Pope Julius II to fabricate a monumental tomb for him. We have no clear sense of what the tomb was to look like, since over the years it went through at least five conceptual revisions, and was never actually finished due to frustrating delays. A short time after starting the tomb, Pope Julius II selected Michelangelo to fresco the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

This tomb was planned to be the "most magnificent of Christian times". It was to include over 40 sculpted figures, with the Moses as the centerpiece. Other statues included the Bound Slave and the Dying Slave. Typical of Michelangelo, these statues were never finished.

This was either because he decided not to use the figures or because he was simply satisfied with them as they were. Designing the tomb of Julius II took architectural planning, something Michelangelo had little experience with. In 1519 he had plans of designing the Church of Lorenzo in Florence, but the plans were never executed. Also in the 1520's Michelangelo designed the Laurentian Library, which was also left unfinished until decades later.

Michelangelo returned to Florence around 1519 and began to design the Medici Tombs for the New Sacristy of San Lorenzo. This project asked Michelangelo to construct two tombs facing one another in a large room. One tomb was made for Lorenzo de' Medici, duke of Urbino; the other made for Giuliano de' Medici, duke of Nemours. Pope Julius' chief architect questioned Michelangelo's experience with fresco, but as he was a friend of the Pope, it was insisted upon that he be given the job. Michelangelo worked on the ceiling from July of 1508 to October of 1512. He had hired five assistants to aid him in painting process.

All in all, Michelangelo had painted three hundred and thirty-six assorted figures on the Sistine ceiling. This was an incredible feat and in the present, three hundred thirty-five and one-half of these figures still remain (Hibbard). The overall organization of the fresco consists of four large triangles at the corner; a series of eight triangular spaces on the outer border; an intermediate series of figures; and nine central panels, all bound together with architectural motifs and nude male figures. The corner triangles depict heroic action in the Old Testament, while the other eight triangles depict the biblical ancestors of Jesus Christ. Michelangelo conceived and executed this huge work in only four years, the first half taking almost three years to complete (Hibbard). The paintings were done with the brightest colors that attracted attention to the whole ceiling as one entered to look.

The ceiling was completed just a little after the Pope had died but has given the Sistine Chapel tremendous appeal for having the best fresco ever done. Michelangelo designed these tombs in a form unlike those of the Florentine tombs. In 1534, Michelangelo once again headed back to Rome, never to return to Florence again. It is recorded that his decision to leave his beloved city forever was made due to the hostility he felt from Duke Alessandro de' Medici. Once in Rome, Michelangelo felt better, relying on the support and affection of Pope Clement VII. Shortly before the pope's death, Michelangelo was asked to paint the Last Judgment upon the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

The world famous work produced by the famous Michelangelo Buonarroti shows the unique talent, which he possessed. Art will always be influenced by his incredible masterpieces created by Michelangelo. Today's art would not be as it is if artists like Michelangelo had not contributed their work to the world. In painting "The Last Judgment", Michelangelo was given the chance to incorporate all that he had learned about the human body.

He was able to show the way the body moved, as well as its displays of unrestrained passion, overwhelming grief, or endless torment. Michelangelo received a commission from Pope Clement VII to paint "The Last Judgment" on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in 1534 (Beck). He was also commissioned at this time to paint a "Fall of the Angels" on the entrance wall, but this second work was never executed (Brandes). Although he had painted the ceiling of the chapel twenty-eight years earlier, the style of "The Last Judgment" was greatly different. On the ceiling, the ideas of hope and exaltation seem to rule, but on the altar wall, there is the depiction of Christ as the unforgiving Judge. "The Last Judgment" has a "drastically plain and direct style, with squarish rather than supple figures", (De Tol nay) whereas the ceiling has a more complicated style.

Also, the figures on the altar wall do not have the same amount of beauty as the figures of the ceiling. Michelangelo followed the tradition of others in having Christ at the top with his hand raised, and also brighter than the rest of the angels and demons. Christ seems to have a harsh and cold expression that furthers Michelangelo's depiction of Christ as the Judge. Christ puts into motion the inevitable separation, with the saved ascending on the left side of the painting and the damned descending on the right into hell (Beck). The saved souls rise from their graves and then begin their ascent toward Heaven. One may expect there to be as much joy on the left as there is torment on the right, but these souls are don't even look happy as they all rush past each other.

Michelangelo has filled them with a similar amount of horror as those who are on the right. The chosen ones are not even greeted with a smile from Christ who seems far less inclined to acquit than to condemn. (Liebert) It was completed in October of 1541 and unveiled on Christmas Day two months later. Many were appalled to see the great amount of nudity, which filled the painting. They did not feel that it was appropriate for such holy people to be depicted without clothes on.

Michelangelo felt that it was the body, which ascends to Heaven, not the clothes. Unfortunately, Michelangelo's masterpiece only remained intact for fourteen years, at which point artists were commissioned to paint clothes on the "most beautiful nudes". (Brandes) "The Last Judgment" seems to stress the importance of the human body and the ways in which the body can move. Michelangelo's skill with the human anatomy allowed him to capture the feelings and emotions, which were very characteristic of this time. The torment and horror we can see in the fresco are also perhaps and indication of the hardships which Michelangelo felt during this time in his life. "The Last Judgment" however is a beautiful painting by the master artist, Michelangelo.

This painting along with many others, allows a greater understanding of the Renaissance era as well as an insight into his feelings. Although born in the small village of Caprese, Michelangelo continued to have a deep attachment to his city, its art, and its culture throughout his long life. However, in his will he left instructions that he be buried in Florence, and his body was laid rest in a fine monument in the church of Santa Croce (Beck). Michelangelo was arguably one of the most inspired creators in the history of art and one of the contributory forces to the Renaissance.

Even after his death, this sculptor, architect, painter, and poets' many contributions have exerted a tremendous influence on his generation and on subsequent western art in general..