What Michelangelo Buonarroti wrote. The Great Michelangelo: paintings and biography. Family and childhood

You probably know who Michelangelo Buonarroti is. The works of the great master are known throughout the world. We will tell you about the best that Michelangelo created. The paintings with the titles will surprise you, but his most powerful sculptures are what make it worth diving into the study of his work.

Another fresco by Michelangelo, located in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. 25 years have already passed since the ceiling painting was completed. Michelangelo returns for a new job.

There is little of Michelangelo himself in The Last Judgment. Initially, his characters were naked and, making his way through endless criticism, he had no choice but to give the iconography to the papal artists to be torn to pieces. They “dressed” the characters and did this even after the death of the genius.

This statue first appeared before the public in 1504 in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Michelangelo had just completed the marble statue. She came out 5 meters and forever remained a symbol of the Renaissance.

David is about to fight Goliath. This is unusual, because before Michelangelo everyone depicted David at the moment of his triumph after defeating an overwhelming giant. But here the battle is just ahead and it is still unknown how it will end.

The Creation of Adam is a fresco and the fourth central composition on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. There are nine of them in total and they are all dedicated to biblical stories. This fresco is a unique illustration of God’s creation of man in his own image and likeness.

The fresco is so amazing that speculation and attempts to prove this or that theory and reveal the meaning of existence still hover around it. Michelangelo showed how God inspires Adam, that is, infuses him with a soul. The fact that the fingers of God and Adam cannot touch indicates the impossibility of the material being fully united with the spiritual.

Michelangelo Buonarroti never signed his sculptures, but he signed this one. It is believed that this happened after a couple of onlookers were arguing about the authorship of the work. The master was then 24 years old.

The statue was damaged in 1972 when it was attacked by geologist Laszlo Toth. With a rock hammer in his hand, he shouted that he was Christ. After this incident, Pietà was placed behind bulletproof glass.

The marble statue of "Moses", 235 cm high, is located in the Roman basilica of the tomb of Pope Julius II. Michelangelo worked on it for 2 years. The figures located on the sides - Rachel and Leah - are the work of Michelangelo's students.

Many people have a question - why does Moses have horns? This was due to the Vulgate's misinterpretation of Exodus, a biblical book. The word “horns” translated from Hebrew could also mean “rays,” which more correctly reflects the essence of the legend - it was difficult for the Israelis to look at his face because it was radiating.

"The Crucifixion of St. Peter" is a fresco in the Paolina Chapel (Vatican City). One of the last works of the master, which he completed by order of Pope Paul III. After the fresco was completed, Michelangelo never returned to painting and focused on architecture.

The Madonna Doni tondo is the only completed easel work that has survived to this day.

This is work completed before the master took up the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo believed that painting can be considered most worthy only if it perfectly resembles sculpture.

This easel work has only been considered a work by Michelangelo since 2008. Before that, it was just another masterpiece from the workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio. Michelangelo studied in this workshop, but hardly anyone could believe that this was the work of a great master, because at that time he was no more than 13 years old.

After careful examination of the evidence, Vasari's information, handwriting and style, The Torment of Saint Anthony is recognized as the work of Michelangelo. If this is true, then the work is currently considered the most expensive work of art ever created by a child. Its approximate cost is more than $6 million.

Sculpture of Lorenzo de' Medici (1526 - 1534)

The marble statue, a sculpture of Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino, was created over several years - from 1526 to 1534. It is located in the Medici Chapel, decorating the composition of the Medici tombstone.

The sculpture of Lorenzo II de' Medici is not a portrait of a real historical figure. Michelangelo idealized the image of greatness by depicting Lorenzo in thoughtfulness.

Brutus (1537 - 1538)

The marble bust “Brutus” is an unfinished work by Michelangelo commissioned by Donato Gianotti, who was a staunch republican, considering Brutus a true tyrant fighter. This was relevant against the background of the restoration of the Florentine tyranny of the Medici.

Michelangelo was forced to stop working on the bust due to new moods in society. The sculpture remained preserved only because of its artistic value.

That's it for us about Michelangelo Buonarroti. The master's works are not fully represented here, which is just the Sistine Chapel, but the paintings with titles will not tell you about the great sculptor the way his marble sculptures will. However, any work by Michelangelo deserves attention. Share what you like best.

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564), famous Italian sculptor, painter and architect, one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance. He came from an ancient family of counts of Canossa, born in 1475 in Chiusi, near Florence. Michelangelo acquired his first acquaintance with painting from Ghirlandaio. The versatility of his artistic development and breadth of education were facilitated by his stay with Lorenzo de Medici, in the famous gardens of St. Mark, among the outstanding scientists and artists of that time. The faun mask carved by Michelangelo during his stay here and the relief depicting the fight of Hercules with the centaurs drew attention to him. Soon after, he performed the "Crucifixion" for the monastery of Santo Spirito. During the execution of this work, the prior of the monastery provided Michelangelo with a corpse, on which the artist first became acquainted with anatomy. Subsequently, he studied it with passion.

Portrait of Michelangelo Buonarroti. Artist M. Venusti, c. 1535

In 1496, Michelangelo sculpted a sleeping cupid from marble. Having given it, on the advice of friends, the appearance of antiquity, he passed it off as an antique work. The trick was a success, and the subsequent deception resulted in Michelangelo’s invitation to Rome, where he commissioned the marble Bacchus and the Madonna with the Dead Christ (Pietà), which made Michelangelo from a respected sculptor the first sculptor of Italy.

In 1499, Michelangelo again appeared in his native Florence and created for her a colossal statue of David, as well as paintings in the Council Chamber.

Statue of David. Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1504

Then Michelangelo was summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II and, at his order, created a grandiose project for a monument to the pope with many statues and reliefs. Due to various circumstances, out of this many, Michelangelo executed only one famous statue of Moses.

Michelangelo Buonarroti. Moses statue

Forced to begin painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel due to the machinations of rivals who thought to destroy the artist, knowing his unaccustomment to painting technique, Michelangelo at 22 months, working alone, created a huge work that caused everyone's surprise. Here he depicted the creation of the world and man, the Fall with its consequences: expulsion from paradise and the global flood, the miraculous salvation of the chosen people and the approaching time of salvation in the person of the Sibyls, prophets and ancestors of the Savior. The Flood is the most successful composition in terms of power of expression, drama, courage of thought, mastery of drawing, and a variety of figures in the most difficult and unexpected poses.

Michelangelo Buonarroti. Flood (fragment). Fresco of the Sistine Chapel

Michelangelo Buonarroti's huge painting of the Last Judgment, executed between 1532 and 1545 on the wall of the Sistine Chapel, is also striking in its power of imagination, grandeur and mastery of design, which, however, is somewhat inferior to the first in the nobility of style.

Michelangelo Buonarroti. Last Judgment. Fresco of the Sistine Chapel

Image source - website http://www.wga.hu

Around the same time, Michelangelo created a statue of Giuliano for the Medici monument - the famous “Pensiero” - “thoughtfulness”.

At the end of his life, Michelangelo abandoned sculpture and painting and devoted himself mainly to architecture, taking upon himself “for the glory of God” the gratuitous supervision of the construction of the Church of St. Peter in Rome. It was not he who did not complete it. The grandiose dome was completed according to Michelangelo’s design after his death (1564), which interrupted the turbulent life of the artist, who also took an active part in the struggle of his native city for his freedom.

Dome of St. Peter's Church in Rome. Architect - Michelangelo Buonarroti

The ashes of Michelangelo Buonarroti rest under a magnificent monument in the Church of Santa Croce in Florence. Numerous of his sculptural works and paintings are scattered throughout the churches and galleries of Europe.

Michelangelo Buonarroti's style is distinguished by grandeur and nobility. His desire for the extraordinary, his deep knowledge of anatomy, thanks to which he achieved amazing correctness of drawing, attracted him to colossal creatures. In sublimity, energy, boldness of movement and majesty of forms, Michelangelo Buonarroti has no rivals. He shows particular skill in depicting the naked body. Although Michelangelo, with his passion for plastic art, attached secondary importance to color, his coloring is nevertheless strong and harmonious. Michelangelo placed fresco painting above oil painting and called the latter women's work. Architecture was his weak side, but even in this, being self-taught, he showed his genius.

Secretive and uncommunicative, Michelangelo could do without loyal friends and did not know a woman’s love until he was 80 years old. He called art his beloved, paintings his children. Only at the end of his life Michelangelo met the famous beautiful poetess Vittoria Colonna and fell in love with her dearly. This pure feeling gave rise to Michelangelo's poems, which were later published in 1623 in Florence. Michelangelo lived with patriarchal simplicity, did a lot of good, and was, in general, affectionate and gentle. He punished only arrogance and ignorance inexorably. He was on good terms with Raphael, although he was not indifferent to his fame.

The life of Michelangelo Buonarroti is described by his students Vasari and Candovi.

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Michelangelo di Lodovico di Leonardo di Buonarroti Simoni (Michelangelo di Lodovico di Leonardo di Buonarroti Simoni) is the most famous painter from Italy, a genius of architectural and sculptural works, a thinker of the early period. 9 of the 13 popes who were on the throne during the time of Michelangelo invited a master to carry out work in and.

Little Michelangelo was born in the early morning of March 6, 1475, Monday, into the family of the bankrupt banker and nobleman Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni in the Tuscan town of Caprese, near the province of Arezzo, where his father held the position of podestà ), head of the Italian medieval administration.

Family and childhood

Two days after his birth, on March 8, 1475, the boy was baptized in the Church of San Giovanni di Caprese. Michelangelo was the 2nd child in a large family. Mother, Francesca Neri del Miniato Siena, gave birth to her first son Lionardo in 1473, Buonarroto was born in 1477, and fourth son Giovansimone was born in 1479. in 1481 the younger Gismondo was born. Exhausted by frequent pregnancies, the woman dies in 1481, when Michelangelo was barely 6 years old.

In 1485, the father of a large family married for the second time to Lucrezia Ubaldini di Galliano, who was unable to give birth to her own children and raised adopted boys as her own. Unable to cope with the large family, his father gave Michelangelo to the Topolino foster family in the city of Settignano. The father of the new family worked as a stonemason, and his wife knew the child from childhood, as she was Michelangelo’s wet nurse. It was there that the boy began working with clay and picked up a chisel for the first time.

To give his heir an education, Michelangelo's father enrolled him in the educational institution of Francesco Galatea da Urbino, located in Firenze. But he turned out to be an unimportant student; the boy liked to draw more, copying icons and frescoes.

First works

In 1488, the young painter achieved his goal and went to study in the workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio, where he spent a year learning the basics of painting techniques. During his year of study, Michelangelo created several pencil copies of famous paintings and a copy of an engraving by the German painter Martin Schongauer entitled “Tormento di Sant’Antonio”.

In 1489, the young man was enrolled in the art school of Bertoldo di Giovanni, organized under the patronage of Lorenzo Medici, the ruler of Florence. Noticing the genius of Michelangelo, the Medici took him under his protection, helping him develop his abilities and fulfill expensive orders.

In 1490, Michelangelo continued his studies at the Academy of Humanism at the Medici court, where he met the philosophers Marsilio Ficino and Angelo Ambrogini, the future Popes: Leo PP. X and Clement VII (Clemens PP. VII). During 2 years of study at the Academy, Michelangelo creates:

• Marble relief of the “Madonna of the Staircase” (“Madonna della scala”), 1492, is exhibited in the Casa Buonarroti Museum in Florence;
• Marble relief "Battle of the Centaurs" ("Battaglia dei centauri"), 1492, exhibited in Casa Buonarroti;
• Sculpture by Bertoldo di Giovanni.

On April 8, 1492, the influential patron of talent, Lorenzo de' Medici, dies, and Michelangelo decides to return to his father's house.

In 1493, with the permission of the rector of the church of Santa Maria del Santo Spirito, he studied anatomy on corpses at the church hospital. In gratitude for this, the master makes for the priest a wooden “Crucifix” (“Crocifisso di Santo Spirito”), 142 cm in height, which is now displayed in the church in the side chapel.

In Bologna

In 1494, Michelangelo left Florence not wanting to participate in the Savonarola uprising (Savonarola) and went to (Bologna), where he immediately took on the task of completing an order of 3 small figurines for the tomb of St. Dominic (San Domenico) in the church of the same name “St. Dominic” (“Chiesa di San Domenico”):

• “Angel with a candelabra” (“Angelo reggicandelabro”), 1495;
• “Saint Petronio” (“San Petronio”), patron saint of Bologna, 1495;
• "Saint Proclus" ("San Procolo"), Italian warrior-saint, 1495

In Bologna, the sculptor learns to create difficult reliefs by observing the actions of Jacopo della Quercia in the Basilica of San Petronio. Elements of this work would be reproduced by Michelangelo later on the ceiling ("Cappella Sistina").

Florence and Rome

In 1495, the 20-year-old master again came to Florence, where power was in the hands of Girolamo Savonarola, but did not receive any orders from the new rulers. He returns to the Medici Palace and begins working for Lorenzo’s heir, Pierfrancesco di Lorenzo de’ Medici, creating for him the now lost statues:

• “John the Baptist” (“San Giovannino”), 1496;
• “Sleeping Cupid” (“Cupido dormiente”), 1496

Lorenzo asked the last statue to be aged; he wanted to sell the work of art at a higher price, passing it off as an antique find. But Cardinal Raffaele Riario, who purchased the fake, discovered the deception, however, impressed by the work of the author, he did not make claims against him, inviting him to work in Rome.

June 25, 1496 Michelangelo arrives in Rome, where in 3 years he creates the greatest masterpieces: marble sculptures of the god of wine Bacchus (Bacco) and (Pietà).

Heritage

Throughout his subsequent life, Michelangelo repeatedly worked in Rome and Florence, fulfilling the most labor-intensive orders of the Popes.

The creativity of the brilliant master was manifested not only in sculptures, but also in painting and architecture, leaving many unsurpassed masterpieces. Unfortunately, some works have not reached our time: some were lost, others were deliberately destroyed. In 1518, the sculptor first destroyed all the sketches for painting the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina), and 2 days before his death, he again ordered his unfinished drawings to be burned so that his descendants would not see his creative torment.

Personal life

It is not known for certain whether Michelangelo had a close relationship with his passions or not, but the homosexual nature of his attraction is evident in many of the maestro’s poetic works.

At the age of 57, he dedicated many of his sonnets and madrigals to the 23-year-old Tommaso dei Cavalieri(Tommaso Dei Cavalieri). Many of their joint poetic works speak of mutual and touching love for each other.

In 1542, Michelangelo met Cecchino de Bracci, who died in 1543. The Maestro was so saddened by the loss of his friend that he wrote a cycle of 48 sonnets, praising grief and sadness over an irreparable loss.

One of the young men posing for Michelangelo, Febo di Poggio, constantly asked the master for money, gifts and jewelry in exchange for reciprocated love, receiving the nickname “little blackmailer” for this.

The second young man, Gherardo Perini, also posing for the sculptor, did not hesitate to take advantage of Michelangelo’s favor and simply robbed his admirer.

In his twilight years, the sculptor felt a wonderful sense of affection for a female representative, the widow and poetess Vittoria Colonna, whom he had known for more than 40 years. Their correspondence constitutes a significant monument of Michelangelo's era.

Death

Michelangelo's life was interrupted on February 18, 1564 in Rome. He died in the presence of a servant, doctors and friends, having managed to dictate his will, promising the Lord his soul, the earth his body, and his relatives his property. A tomb was built for the sculptor, but two days after his death the body was temporarily transported to the Basilica of Santi Apostoli, and in July he was buried in the Basilica of Santa Croce in the center of Florence.

Painting

Despite the fact that the main manifestation of Michelangelo's genius was the creation of sculptures, he has many masterpieces of painting. According to the author, high-quality paintings should resemble sculptures and reflect the volume and relief of the presented images.

“The Battle of Cascina” (“Battaglia di Cascina”) was created by Michelangelo in 1506 for painting one of the walls of the Great Council Hall in the Apostolic Palace (Palazzo Apostolico) commissioned by the gonfaloniere Pier Soderini. But the work remained unfinished, since the author was summoned to Rome.

On a huge cardboard in the premises of the Sant’Onofrio hospital, the artist masterfully depicted soldiers in a hurry to stop swimming in the Arno River. The bugle from the camp called them to battle and the men in a hurry grab their weapons, armor, pull clothes over their wet bodies, while helping their comrades. The cardboard housed in the Papal Hall became a school for artists such as Antonio da Sangallo, Raffaello Santi, Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, Francesco Granacci, and later Andrea del Sarto del Sarto), Jacopo Sansovino, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Perino del Vaga and others. They came to work and copied from a unique canvas, trying to get closer to the talent of the great master. The cardboard has not survived to this day.

“Madonna Doni” or “Holy Family” (Tondo Doni) - a round painting with a diameter of 120 cm is exhibited in (Galleria degli Uffizi) in Florence. Made in 1507 in the “Cangiante” style, when the skin of the depicted characters resembles marble. Most of the picture is occupied by the figure of the Mother of God, with John the Baptist behind her. They are holding the Christ child in their arms. The work is filled with complex symbolism, subject to various interpretations.

Manchester Madonna

The unfinished “Manchester Madonna” (Madonna di Manchester) was executed in 1497 on a wooden board and is kept in the National Gallery in London. The first title of the painting was “Madonna and Child, John the Baptist and Angels,” but in 1857 it was first presented to the public at an exhibition in Manchester, receiving its second title, by which it is known today.

Entombment (Deposizione di Cristo nel sepolcro) was executed in 1501 in oil on wood. Another unfinished work by Michelangelo, owned by the London National Gallery. The main figure of the work was the body of Jesus taken from the cross. His followers carry their teacher to the grave. Presumably, John the Evangelist is depicted to the left of Christ in red clothes. Other characters could be: Nikodim and Joseph of Arimathea. On the left, Mary Magdalene is kneeling in front of the teacher, and on the bottom right, the image of the Mother of God is outlined, but not drawn.

Madonna and Child

The sketch “Madonna and Child” (Madonna col Bambino) was made between 1520 and 1525 and can easily turn into a full-fledged painting in the hands of any artist. Kept in the Casa Buonarroti Museum in Florence. First, on the first piece of paper, he drew the skeletons of future images, then on the second, he “increased” muscles on the skeleton. Nowadays, the work has been exhibited with great success in museums in America over the past three decades.

Leda and the swan

The lost painting “Leda and the Swan” (“Leda e il cigno”), created in 1530 for the Duke of Ferrara Alfonso I d’Este (Italian: Alfonso I d’Este) is known today only through copies. But the Duke did not get the painting; the nobleman sent to Michelangelo for the work commented on the master’s work: “Oh, this is nothing!” The artist kicked out the envoy and gave the masterpiece to his student Antonio Mini, whose two sisters were soon getting married. Antonio took the work to France, where it was bought by the monarch Francis I (François Ier). The painting belonged to the Château de Fontainebleau until it was destroyed in 1643 by François Sublet de Noyers, who considered the image too voluptuous.

Cleopatra

The painting “Cleopatra”, created in 1534, is the ideal of female beauty. The work is interesting because on the other side of the sheet there is another sketch in black chalk, but it is so ugly that art historians have made the assumption that the author of the sketch belongs to one of the master’s students. The portrait of the Egyptian queen was given to Tommaso dei Cavalieri by Michelangelo. Perhaps Tommaso tried to paint one of the ancient statues, but the work was not crowned with success, then Michelangelo turned the page and turned the squalor into a masterpiece.

Venus and Cupid

The cardboard "Venere and Cupid", created in 1534, was used by the painter Jacopo Carucci to create the painting "Venus and Cupid". The oil painting on wood panel measures 1 m 28 cm by 1 m 97 cm and is in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. ABOUT The original of Michelangelo's work has not survived to this day.

Pieta

The drawing “Pietà per Vittoria Colonna” was written in 1546 for Michelangelo’s friend, the poetess Vittoria Colonna. The chaste woman not only dedicated her work to God and the church, but also forced the artist to penetrate deeper into the spirit of religion. It was to her that the master dedicated a series of religious drawings, among which was “Pieta”.

Michelangelo repeatedly wondered if he was competing with God himself in an attempt to achieve perfection in art. The work is kept in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.

Epiphany

The sketch “Epiphany” (“Epifania”) is a grandiose work by the artist, completed in 1553. It was made on 26 sheets of paper with a height of 2 m 32 cm 7 mm after much thought (multiple traces of changes in the sketch are noticeable on the paper). In the center of the composition is the Virgin Mary, who with her left hand pushes Saint Joseph away from her. At the feet of the Mother of God is the baby Jesus, in front of Joseph is the baby St. John. On Mary’s right hand there is a figure of a man, unidentified by art historians. The work is exhibited at the British Museum in London.

Sculptures

Today, 57 works belonging to Michelangelo are known, about 10 sculptures have been lost. The master did not sign his work and cultural workers continue to “find” more and more new works by the sculptor.

Bacchus

The sculpture of the drunken god of wine made of Bacchus marble, 2 m 3 cm high, is depicted in 1497 with a glass of wine in his hand and with bunches of grapes, symbolizing the hair on his head. He is accompanied by a goat-legged satyr. The customer for one of Michelangelo's first masterpieces was Cardinal Raffaele della Rovere, who subsequently refused to take the work back. In 1572, the statue was bought by the Medici family. Today it is exhibited in the Italian Bargello Museum in Florence.

Roman Pieta

Order to paint a ceiling with an area of ​​about 600 sq. m. “Sistine Chapel” (“Sacellum Sixtinum”), Pope Julius II (Iulius PP. II) gave the Apostolic Palace to the master after their reconciliation. Before this, Michelangelo lived in Florence, he was angry with the pope, who refused to pay for the construction of his own tomb.

The talented sculptor had never done frescoes before, but he completed the order of the royal person in the shortest possible time, painting the ceiling with three hundred figures and nine scenes from the Bible.

Creation of Adam

“The Creation of Adam” (“La creazione di Adamo”) is the most famous and beautiful fresco of the chapel, completed in 1511. One of the central compositions is full of symbolism and hidden meaning. God the Father, surrounded by angels, is depicted flying into infinity. He reaches out his hand to meet Adam's outstretched hand, breathing the soul into the ideal human body.

Last Judgment

The Last Judgment fresco (“Giudizio universale”) is the largest fresco of Michelangelo’s era. The master worked on the image measuring 13 m 70 cm by 12 m for 6 years, finishing it in 1541. In the center is a figure of Christ with his right hand raised up. He is no longer a messenger of peace, but a formidable judge. Next to Jesus were the apostles: Saint Peter, Saint Lawrence, Saint Bartholomew, Saint Sebastian and others.

The dead look at the judge with horror, awaiting the verdict. Those saved by Christ are resurrected, but the sinners are carried away by the devil himself.

“The Universal Flood” is the first fresco painted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the chapel in 1512. The sculptor was helped to carry out this work by masters from Florence, but soon their work ceased to satisfy the maestro and he refused outside help. The image represents human fears at the last moment of life. Everything is already flooded with water, except for a few high hills, where people are desperately trying to avoid death.

“Libyan Sibyl” (“Libyan sibyl”) is one of the 5 depicted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the chapel. A graceful woman with a folio is presented half-turned. According to art historians, the artist copied the image of the Sibyl from a posing young man. According to legend, she was a dark-skinned African woman of average height. The maestro decided to portray a soothsayer with white skin and blond hair.

Separation of Light from Darkness

The fresco “The Separation of Light from Dark,” like other frescoes in the chapel, is filled with a riot of colors and emotions. The higher mind, full of love for all things, has such incredible power that Chaos is unable to prevent it from separating light from darkness. Giving the Almighty a human form suggests that each person has the power to create a small universe within himself, distinguishing between good and evil, light and darkness, knowledge and ignorance.

Saint Paul's Cathedral

At the beginning of the 16th century, Michelangelo, as an architect, participated in the creation of the plan for St. Peter's Basilica together with the architect Donato Bramante. But the latter disliked Buonarroti and constantly plotted against his opponent.

Forty years later, the construction completely passed into the hands of Michelangelo, who returned to Bramante's plan, rejecting the plan of Giuliano da Sangallo. The maestro introduced more monumentality into the old plan when he abandoned the complex division of space. He also increased the dome pylons and simplified the shape of the semi-domes. Thanks to innovations, the building acquired integrity, as if it were cut from one piece of material.

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Chapel Paolina

Michelangelo was able to begin painting the “Cappella Paolina” in the Apostolic Palace only in 1542 at the age of 67 years. Long work on the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel greatly undermined his health; inhaled fumes of paint and plaster led to general weakness and heart disease. The paint ruined his vision, the master hardly ate, did not sleep, and did not take off his boots for weeks. As a result, Buonarroti stopped work twice and returned to it again, creating two amazing frescoes.

“Conversion of the Apostle Paul” (“Conversione di Saulo”) is Michelangelo’s first fresco in the “Paolina Chapel” measuring 6 m 25 cm by 6 m 62 cm, completed in 1545. The Apostle Paul was considered the patron saint of Pope Paul III (Paulus PP III) . The author depicted a moment from the Bible, which describes how the Lord himself appeared to Saul as an implacable persecutor of Christians, turning the sinner into a preacher.

Crucifixion of Saint Peter

The fresco “Crucifixion of St. Peter” (“Crocifissione di San Pietro”) measuring 6 m 25 cm by 6 m 62 cm was completed by Michelangelo in 1550 and became the artist’s final painting. Saint Peter was sentenced to death by Emperor Nero, but the condemned man wished to be crucified upside down, since he did not consider himself worthy to accept death like Christ.

Many artists, depicting this scene, encountered misunderstandings. Michelangelo solved the problem by presenting the crucifixion scene before the erection of the cross.

Architecture

During the second half of his life, Michelangelo increasingly began to turn to architecture. During the construction of architectural monuments, the maestro successfully destroyed the old canons, putting into the work all the knowledge and skills accumulated over the years.

In the Basilica of St. Lawrence (Basilica di San Lorenzo), Michelangelo worked not only on the Medici tombs. The church, built in 393 during reconstruction in the 15th century, was supplemented with the Old Sacristy according to the design of Filippo Brunelleschi.

Later, Michelangelo became the author of the project for the New Sacristy, built on the other side of the church. In 1524, by order of Clement VII (Clemens PP. VII), the architect designed and built the building of the Laurentian Library (Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana) on the south side of the church. A complex staircase, floors and ceilings, windows and benches - every little detail was carefully thought out by the author.

“Porta Pia” is a gate in the northeast (Mura aureliane) in Rome on the ancient Via Nomentana. Michelangelo made three projects, of which the customer, Pope Pius IV (Pius PP. IV), approved the least expensive option, where the facade resembled a theater curtain.

The author did not live to see the construction of the gate completed. After the gate was partially destroyed by lightning in 1851, Pope Pius IX (Pius PP. IX) ordered its reconstruction, changing the original appearance of the building.

The titular basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri) is located on the Roman (Piazza della Repubblica) and was erected in honor of Our Lady, the holy martyrs and God's angels. Pope Pius IV entrusted the development of a construction plan to Michelangelo in 1561. The author of the project did not live to see the completion of the work, which occurred in 1566.

Poetry

The last three decades of Michelangelo's life were not only engaged in architecture; he wrote many madrigals and sonnets, which were not published during the author's lifetime. In poetry, he sang love, glorified harmony and described the tragedy of loneliness. Buonarroti's poems were first published in 1623. In total, about three hundred of his poems, just under 1,500 letters from personal correspondence and about three hundred pages of personal notes have survived.

1. Michelangelo's talent was evident in the fact that he saw his works before they were created. The master personally selected pieces of marble for future sculptures and transported them to the workshop himself. He always stored and treasured unprocessed blocks as finished masterpieces.
2. The future “David,” which appeared before Michelangelo as a huge piece of marble, turned out to be the sculpture that two previous masters had already abandoned. For 3 years the maestro worked on his masterpiece, presenting the naked “David” to the public in 1504.
3. At the age of 17, Michelangelo quarreled with 20-year-old Pietro Torrigiano, also an artist, who managed to break his opponent’s nose in a fight. Since then, in all the images of the sculptor he is presented with a disfigured face.
4. The “Pieta” in St. Peter’s Basilica impresses the audience so much that it has been repeatedly attacked by individuals with unstable psyches. In 1972, Australian geologist Laszlo Toth committed an act of vandalism by hitting the sculpture 15 times with a hammer. After this, the Pietà was placed behind glass.
5. The author's favorite sculptural composition, Pietà, “Lamentation of Christ,” turned out to be the only signed work. When the masterpiece was unveiled in St. Peter's Basilica, people began to speculate that its creator was Cristoforo Solari. Then Michelangelo, having made his way into the cathedral at night, embossed on the folds of the Mother of God’s clothing “Michelangelo Buonarroti, a Florentine sculpture,” but later he regretted his pride, never signing his works again.
6. While working on The Last Judgment, the master accidentally fell from high scaffolding, severely injuring his leg. He saw this as a bad omen and did not want to work anymore. The artist locked himself in the room, not letting anyone in and deciding to die. But the famous doctor and friend of Michelangelo, Baccio Rontini, wanted to cure the wayward stubborn man, and since the doors did not open for him, with great difficulty he made his way into the house through the cellar. The doctor forced Buonarroti to take medication and helped him recover.
7. The power of the master's art only gains strength over time. Over the past 4 years, more than a hundred people have sought medical help after visiting rooms with Michelangelo's works on display. Particularly impressive to viewers is the statue of a naked “David”, in front of which people have repeatedly lost consciousness. They complained of disorientation, dizziness, apathy and nausea. Doctors at the Santa Maria Nuova Hospital call this emotional state “David syndrome.”

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Michelangelo di Lodovico di Leonardo di Buonarroti Simoni was born on March 6, 1475 in Caprese. Lived until February 18, 1564. Of course, he is better known as Michelangelo - the famous Italian sculptor, artist, architect, poet and engineer of the High and Late Renaissance. The works of the great master had an unprecedented influence on the subsequent development of Western art. Michelangelo was not only the best artist of his time, but also the greatest genius of all time. He should not be confused with Michelangelo Caravaggio, whose paintings were painted somewhat later.

Early works of Michelangelo Buonarroti

The paintings, or rather the reliefs “Battle of the Centaurs” and “Madonna of the Stairs”, testify to the search for the perfect form. Neoplatonists believed that this was the main task of art.

In these reliefs, the viewer sees mature images of the High Renaissance, which were based on the study of antiquity. In addition, they were based on the traditions of Donatello and his followers.

Work begins on the Sistine Chapel

Pope Julius II planned to create a grandiose tomb for himself. He entrusted this work to Michelangelo. The year 1605 was not easy for both of them. The sculptor had already started work, but later learned that dad refused to pay the bills. This offended the master, so he left Rome without permission and returned to Florence. Long negotiations ended with Michelangelo's forgiveness. And in 1608, painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel began.

Working on the mural was a great feat. 600 square meters were completed in four years. The most grandiose cycle of compositions on themes from the Old Testament was born from the hand of Michelangelo. The paintings and images on the walls amaze with their ideological, figurative side and plastic expressiveness of forms. The naked human body has a special meaning. Through a variety of poses, movements, positions, an incredible number of ideas and feelings that overwhelmed the artist are expressed.

Man in the works of Michelangelo

In all of Michelangelo's sculptural and painting works, one single theme runs through - man. For the master this was the only means of expression. At first glance, this is imperceptible, but if you start to get acquainted more closely with the works of Michelangelo, the paintings reflect the landscape, clothing, interiors, and objects to a minimum. And only in cases where it is necessary. In addition, all these details are generalized, not detailed. Their task is not to distract from the story about a person’s actions, his character and passions, but to serve only as a background.

Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel covers an area of ​​more than 500 square meters. Michelangelo depicted more than 300 figures on it alone. In the center are 9 scenes from the Book of Genesis. They are divided into three groups:

1. God's creation of the earth.
2. God's creation of the human race and its fall.
3. The essence of humanity represented by Noah and his family.

The ceiling is supported by sails, which depict 12 women and men predicting the coming of Jesus Christ: 7 prophets of Israel and 5 Sibyls (soothsayers of the ancient world).

False elements (ribs, cornices, pilasters), which are made using the trompe l'oeil technique, emphasize the bending line of the vault. Ten ribs cross the canvas, dividing it into zones, each of which describes the main narrative of the cycle.

The lampshade is surrounded by a cornice. The latter emphasizes the line of conjugation between the curvilinear and horizontal surfaces of the arch. Thus, biblical scenes are separated from the figures of prophets and sibyls, as well as the ancestors of Christ.

"The Creation of Adam"

Michelangelo's painting "The Creation of Adam" is certainly one of the most famous fragments of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Many people who have different attitudes to art unanimously assert that between the imperious hand of Hosts and the weak-willed, trembling brush of Adam, one can practically see the flow of life-giving force. These almost touching hands represent the unity of the material and spiritual, earthly and heavenly.

This painting by Michelangelo, in which the hands are so symbolic, is completely imbued with energy. And as soon as the fingers touch, the act of creation is completed.

"The Last Judgment"

For six years (from 1534 to 1541) the master again worked in the Sistine Chapel. The Last Judgment, painted by Michelangelo, is the largest fresco of the Renaissance.

The central figure is Christ, who executes judgment and restores justice. He is at the center of the vortex movement. He is no longer the messenger of peace, merciful and peaceful. He became the Supreme Judge, formidable and intimidating. Christ raised his right hand in a menacing gesture, pronouncing the final verdict that will divide the resurrected into righteous and sinners. This raised hand becomes the dynamic center of the entire composition. It seems that it sets the bodies of the righteous and sinners into violent motion.

If the soul of every person is in motion, then the figure of Jesus Christ is motionless and stable. His gestures represent strength, retribution and power. Madonna cannot bear to watch people suffer, so she turns away. And at the top of the picture, angels carry the attributes of the Passion of Christ.

Among the Apostles stands Adam, the first of the human race. Also here is Saint Peter, the founder of Christianity. In the views of the apostles one can read a formidable demand for retribution against sinners. Michelangelo placed the instruments of torture into their hands.

The fresco paintings depict the martyred saints around Christ: Saint Lawrence, Saint Sebastian and Saint Bartholomew, who displays his flayed skin.

There are many other saints here. They try to be closer to Christ. The crowd with the saints rejoices and rejoices at the upcoming bliss that the Lord has awarded them.

Seven angels sound their trumpets. Everyone who looks at them is horrified. Those whom the Lord saves immediately ascend and are resurrected. The dead rise from their graves, skeletons rise. A man covers his eyes with his hands in horror. The devil himself came for him, dragging him down.

"Cumae Sibyl"

Michelangelo depicted 5 famous Sibyls on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. These paintings are famous all over the world. But the most famous is the Kuma Sibyl. She prophesies the end of the whole world.

The fresco depicts the large and ugly body of an old woman. She sits on a marble throne and studies an ancient book. The Cumaean Sibyl is a Greek priestess who spent many years in the Italian town of Cumae. There is a legend that Apollo himself was in love with her, who awarded her the gift of divination. In addition, the Sibyl could live as many years as she could spend away from her home. But after many years, she realized that she did not ask for eternal youth. That is why the priestess began to dream of a quick death. It was in this body that Michelangelo depicted her.

Description of the artwork "Libyan Sibyl"

The Libyan Sibyl is the embodiment of beauty, the eternal movement of the living and wisdom. At first glance, it seems that the figure of the Sibyl is powerful, but Michelangelo endowed her with special plasticity and grace. It seems that she will now turn to the viewer and show the tome. Of course, the book contains the Word of God.

Initially, the Sibyl was a wandering soothsayer. She predicted the near future, the fate of everyone.

Despite her lifestyle, the Libyan Sibyl was quite categorical about idols. She called for abandoning the service of pagan gods.

Ancient primary sources indicate that the soothsayer was from Libya. Her skin was black, her height was average. The girl always held a branch of the Maslenitsa tree in her hand.

"Persian Sibyl"

The Persian Sibyl lived in the East. Her name was Sambeta. She was also called the Babylonian prophetess. It is mentioned in sources of the 13th century BC. The year 1248 was the year of prophecies that the Sibyl drew from her 24 books. It is claimed that her predictions concerned the life of Jesus Christ. In addition, she mentioned Alexander the Great and many other legendary figures. The predictions are expressed in verses that have a double meaning. This makes them difficult to interpret unambiguously.

Contemporaries of the Persian Sibyl write that she was dressed in golden clothes. She had an inviting, youthful appearance. Michelangelo, whose paintings always have a deeper meaning, imagined her in old age. The Sibyl has almost turned away from the viewer, all her attention is drawn to the book. The image is dominated by rich and bright colors. They emphasize the wealth, good quality and excellent quality of the clothes.

"Separation of Light from Darkness"

Michelangelo Buonarroti's paintings with titles are amazing. It is impossible to imagine what the genius felt when he created such a masterpiece.

When creating the fresco "Separation of Light from Darkness", Michelangelo wanted powerful energy to emanate from it. The center of the plot is Hosts, who is this incredible energy. God created the heavenly bodies, Light and Darkness. He then decided to separate them from each other.

Hosts float in empty space and endow it with cosmic bodies. Clothes them in matter and essence. He does all this with the help of his divine energy and, of course, the highest and great love.

It is no coincidence that Buonarotti represents the Supreme Intelligence in the form of a person. Perhaps the master claims that humans are also capable of separating the light from the darkness within themselves, thus creating a spiritual Universe that is filled with peace, love and understanding.

Studying the paintings of Michelangelo, photos of which are now available to everyone, a person begins to realize the true scale of this master’s work.

"Flood"

At the beginning of his work, Michelangelo Buonarroti was not confident in his abilities. The paintings and frescoes of the chapel were created after the master painted “The Flood”.

Afraid to begin work, Michelangelo hired skilled fresco masters from Florence. But after a while he sent them back because he was not satisfied with their work.

“The Flood,” like many other paintings by Michelangelo (as we can see, the genius had no problems with the names - they perfectly convey the essence of each canvas and fragment), was a place for studying the nature of man, his actions under the influence of disasters, misfortunes, disasters, his reactions to everything. And several fragments formed into one fresco on which the tragedy unfolds.

In the foreground is a group of people trying to escape on a piece of land that still exists. They are like a flock of frightened sheep.

Some man hopes to delay the death of himself and his beloved. The little boy hides behind his mother, who seems to have given herself over to Fate. The young man hopes to avoid death on the tree. Another group covers themselves with a piece of canvas, hoping to hide from the flow of rain.

Restless waves are still holding the boat, in which people are fighting for a place. The Ark can be seen in the background. Several people are banging on the walls, hoping to be rescued.

Michelangelo portrayed the characters in different ways. The paintings that make up one mural show different emotions of people. Some are trying to catch the last chance. Others strive to help loved ones. Someone is ready to sacrifice a neighbor in order to save himself. But everyone is worried about one question: “Why should I die?” But God is already silent...

"Noah's Sacrifice"

In the last year of his work, Michelangelo created the stunning fresco "The Sacrifice of Noah". Her images convey to us all the sorrow and tragedy of what is happening.

Noah was shocked by the amount of water that fell and at the same time was grateful for his salvation. Therefore, he and his family rush to make a sacrifice to God. It was this moment that Michelangelo decided to capture. Paintings with this subject usually convey family closeness and internal solidarity. But not this one! What is Michelangelo Buonarroti doing? His paintings convey completely different experiences.

Some participants in the scene demonstrate indifference, while others demonstrate mutual alienation, outright hostility and distrust. Some characters - a mother with a child and an old man with a staff - show grief, turning into tragic despair.

God promised not to punish humanity in this way again. The earth will be saved for fire.

There are so many artistic masterpieces, the author of which is the great Florentine, that one can talk about them for hours. Fortunately, today anyone interested in high art has access to photographs depicting Michelangelo’s paintings (we have introduced you to the names and brief descriptions of the most famous ones). Thus, at any moment you can start enjoying the creations of this Renaissance genius.

February 18, 2019

The great master of the Italian Renaissance, Michelagelo Buonarroti (1475 – 1564), considered himself primarily a sculptor, and not a painter, architect or poet. This is indicated by many surviving letters and documents, signed mainly as “Michelagniolo, scultore”. Today, about fifty of his works are known, belonging to the chisel of the talented sculptor. Most of them are located in Florence and Bologna, and Michelangelo's sculptures in Rome can be practically counted on the fingers of one hand.

Michelangelo Buonarroti. Daniele da Volterra, 1544

Three sculptures by Michelangelo for the Pope

Michelangelo worked on his most ambitious project, the creation of a monumental mausoleum for Pope Julius II, commissioned by the pontiff during his lifetime, for 40 years. The original version, developed in 1505, provided for the installation of forty sculptures.

Michelangelo Project

After the death of Pope Julius II, who reposed on February 21, 1513, at the urgent request of the heirs, the previous project was revised with some changes introduced into it, but its implementation was not carried out. Over the following years, numerous intrigues, lack of funding and accusations against Michelangelo of wasting allocated funds forced the master to radically reconsider his original plan several times. The final, sixth version of the tomb was approved only in August 1542.

Michelangelo. Tombstone of Pope Julius II

Moses. Michelangelo Buonarroti

According to Michelangelo, the sculptures of two female figures represent two ways of being - contemplative and creative. The contemplative life is allegorically represented by the biblical heroine Rachel, the second wife of Joakov, who prays for salvation.

Michelangelo's sculpture "Rachel"

Michelangelo's sculpture "Leah"

Sculpture of Pope Julius II

Christ della Minerva

The marble statue of Jesus Christ, known in Italy as the "Cristo della Minerva", actually has several names - "Carrying the Cross", "Resurrection of Christ", "Christ the Savior". The sculpture by Michelangelo was made in 1519 - 1520 and can currently be seen in the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome, to the left of the main altar.

Michelangelo's sculpture "The Resurrection of Christ"

Black veins on the face of Christ in Michelangelo's first sculpture

Draped part of Michelangelo's sculpture in the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva

This is interesting!

The fate of the first version of Michelangelo's sculpture is interesting. After Pietro Urbano damaged the second version of the statue, the master suggested that Metello Vari carve another, third figure from marble, but the customer refused. As financial compensation, in 1522 the artist gave Vari the unfinished first version of the sculpture, which he requested for a small garden in the courtyard of his Palacetto, near the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It remained there, according to the records of the botanist and naturalist Ulisse Aldovrandi, until 1556 and was sold on the antique market to the art connoisseur Marquis Vincenzo Giustiniani in 1607 for his collection of ancient statues.
The lost masterpiece was again recalled in 1973 by the Italian historian Alessandro Parronchi. He claimed that the statue was completed at the beginning of the 17th century by the French sculptor Nicolas Cordier, and made the assumption that the tombstone, which for some time adorned the family burial of the Giustiniani family, was the first version of the sculpture by Michelangelo.

Only in 2000, art critic and historian Irene Baldriga finally recognized the first version of the work in the statue, confirming the authorship of Michelangelo. Currently this sculpture is located in the sacristy of the church of San Vincenzo Mártir in Bassano Romano near Viterbo.

Sculpture by Michelangelo Pietà

One of the most famous and also the best sculptures of Michelangelo is the Pieta, kept in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The statue, made of Carrara marble, was made by a 24-year-old artist in 1498 – 1499 in just two years, commissioned by the ambassador of the French King Charles VIII, Cardinal Jean de Bilheres. It was intended to be installed as a tombstone after his death.

Michelangelo's signature

“Don’t you know that chastity, holiness and incorruptibility preserve youth much longer. So what can change the body of the Mother of God, who never experienced the slightest lustful desire?.

Pieta took its current location in 1749. Over the centuries, Michelangelo's sculpture has been damaged several times, but the most significant damage occurred on May 21, 1972. On this Sunday, Pentecost, a 34-year-old Australian of Hungarian origin, Laszlo Toth, shouted “I am Jesus Christ, risen from the dead,” and rushed at the statue.

Before he was captured and neutralized, the mentally ill man managed to hit her several times with a geological hammer, causing serious damage. The left arm of the figure of the Virgin Mary was broken off to the elbow, the nose and eyelids were practically destroyed, and in total more than fifty fragments were broken off from the sculpture under the blows of the hammer.

Spectators who found themselves unwitting witnesses to the vandalism began to collect chipped pieces of marble, taking them for themselves as souvenirs, and although many of them were subsequently returned, the nose of the statue was irretrievably lost. Restoration began almost immediately after a thorough examination of the damaged sculpture by Michelangelo. Thanks to the existing plaster cast made in 1944 by Francesco Mercadali, the restoration work was carried out as accurately as possible, without arbitrary changes in dimensions.
Since then, the Pieta has been kept behind protective bulletproof glass. Today it can be seen in the first chapel from the entrance in the right nave of St. Peter's Basilica.