Michelangelo and His Masterpieces

Michelangelo and His Masterpieces

When the word Renaissance or artist there is a common name that comes to mind- Michelangelo. As an artist, he created works of art that some have describe as works of sublime beauty. He was a talented artist with many outlets of creativity. One of these outlets was as a sculptor. He created the famous David as well as other statues. Another of his outlets was the fresco on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. These works of arts still survive after hundred of years of crime, wars, and pollution.

Michelangelo lived during the time of conflict of the papacy in Rome and the Medici family in Florence. When he informed his father of his wishes to become an artist, Michelangelo was sent to a grammar school to study Latin. While at this school, he was encouraged to follow his own artistic dream. At age 13, Michelangelo enraged his father by agreeing to apprentice as a painter instead of becoming a businessman or merchant (www.michelangelo.com); and this is where the story of his creations began.

When thinking of sculptures, one of the first that comes to mind is David. This statue was created of marble between 1501 and 1504 and stands over 14 feet high (michelanelo.com). David was a symbol that represented "fortezza and ira, strength and anger" (http://www.ist.tu-graz.ac). The statue had intended political connotations for the ruling of the Medici family. Michelangelo used David as model of "heroic courage" to demonstrate that "spiritual strength can be more effective than arms" (www.Michelangelo.com). Michelangelo insisted that David should "stand in Palazzo Vecchio as a symbol of the republic and act as a warning that Florence shall be governed justly and bravely" (www.michelangelo.com). This was the first time since antiquity that a large nude statue be exhibited in a public place.

Michelangelo had studied anatomy early in his life. He worked on corpses to learn how the body worked. This was important in the creation of David because of the intricate details in David's muscles and overall body appearance. "Michelangelo had collected such a thorough knowledge of the form and movement of human shape that he made in his mind an idea for the writing of a treatise" that would "benefit all those who would work in sculpture and painting" (http://eeweems.com).

Four years after the creation of David, Michelangelo was summoned by Pope Julius II to pain twelve figures of apostles on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. At first, Michelangelo tried to turn down the commission but then became "carried away with enthusiasm" (www.kfki.hu). Michelangelo saw himself as a sculptor not a painter. He used a technique called fresco. A fresco is painting done on freshly laid wet plaster. The pigments are dissolved in limewater. A chemical reaction occurs