Works by Michelangelo Buonarroti with titles. Sculptures by Michelangelo Buonarroti, their photo and description

Michelangelo Buonarroti (Litalian, 1475 - 1564) Drawings \ Graphics by Michelangelo

Michelangelo Buonarroti is a great Italian sculptor, artist, architect, poet, thinker. One of the greatest masters of the Renaissance.

Undoubtedly, a genius makes a talented person an invincible combination of qualities - talent and hard work. These qualities were inherent in Michelangelo to the highest degree. Putting aside the brushes and paints, he never parted with a sanguine (reddish crayon) and an Italian pencil until the end of his life.

Michelangelo Buonarroti
Study of a head, the Marchioness of Pescara, c.1525-8,
black chalk on paper,
British Museum, London.

In Michelangelo's creative activity, drawing was given a special place: according to some testimonies, Michelangelo considered it "the only art of which all other arts are a part and from which they flow." an independent genre.

Michelangelo,
Count of Canossa (Study for Warrior's Head), 1550-1580

Michelangelo buonarroti

"Zenobia" \ Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, c.1520-25,
charcoal on paper,
Uffizi, Florence, Italy.

The image of the legendary Queen of Palmyra, defeated in competition with Rome, attracted the attention of many Renaissance artists. A highly educated freedom-loving beauty, she was fluent in Greek, Latin and Ancient Greek. The cultural circle she organized was attended by Greek writers and philosophers. Michelangelo expressed his admiration for the beautiful image of the "queen of the desert" in the gift drawing "Zenobia".

Michelangelo Buonarroti

Head of Cleopatra, c.1533-4,
black chalk on paper,
Casa Buonarroti, Florence, Italy.

Sometimes the purpose of his gift drawings was completely unusual - as teaching aids. Among them is the drawing "Cleopatra", according to which Michelangelo's friend Tommaso Cavalieri learned to draw.

Michelangelo buonarroti

Head of Cleopatra, c.1533-4 (detail)

Michelangelo Buonarroti.
"Pieta" tudy for a Pieta, c.1540,
black chalk on paper, Isabella
Stewart Gardener Museum, Boston, MA, USA.

Michelangelo was a deeply religious Catholic. Throughout his life, his work was closely associated with the Church. Gradually, the artist developed his own idea of ​​Christianity, as evidenced by some of his drawings. Friendship with the poet Vittoria Colonna, who was interested in religious issues, sharpened his religious feelings. In the 1540s, a series of religious drawings appeared, many of which were dedicated to Vittoria.

Madonna and child
1522-25
Black and red chalk, pen and brown ink on brownish paper, 541 x 396 mm
Casa Buonarroti, Florence

Michelangelo buonarroti

c. 1532
Black chalk, 317 x 210 mm
Royal Collection, Windsor

Michelangelo was an excellent draftsman. His skill was so high that it became the benchmark for many generations of artists. Interested primarily in shape and volume, he often preferred to depict details (torsos, arms, heads) and chose the most complex angles and gestures to convey the struggle between matter and spirit. To create the plastic bulge of the shapes, along with the outline, Michelangelo used cross-hatching.

Michelangelo buonarroti
Estudios para la Sibila de Libia 1511-1512
~ Metropolitan Museum of Art ~ New York

Head of a Woman (recto)
1540-43
Black chalk, 212 x 142 mm
Royal Collection, Windsor

Michelangelo buonarroti

"Perfect head"
Study of an ideal head, p. 1516, r
ed chalk on paper,
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK.

Study of an Inclined Head
1529-30
Red chalk, 355 x 270 mm
Casa Buonarroti, Florence

An engraving from a lost painting by Michelangelo.

1530, 30x40 cm.
British museum.
16th century copy of a lost painting by Michelangelo Leda and the Swan, 1530.

Madonna and Child with the Infant St John (recto)
1529-30
Red chalk, 290 x 204 mm
Muse du Louvre, Paris

The Holy Family with the Infant St John (verso)
1529-30
Red chalk, 290 x 204 mm
Muse du Louvre, Paris

Michelangelo Buonarroti(1475-1564) is the third great genius of the Italian Renaissance. In terms of personality scale, he is close to Leonardo. He was a sculptor, painter, architect and poet. The last thirty years of his work fell on the Late Renaissance. During this period, anxiety and anxiety appear in his works, a premonition of impending troubles and upheavals.

Among his first creations, attention is drawn to the statue "The Boy Swinging", which echoes the "Discoball" by the ancient sculptor Myron. In it, the master succeeds in vividly expressing the movement and passion of the young creature.

Two works - the statue of "Bacchus" and the group "Pieta" - created at the end of the 15th century, brought Michelangelo wide fame and glory. In the first, he was able to remarkably subtly convey a state of light intoxication, an unstable balance. The Pieta group depicts the dead body of Christ, lying on the lap of the Madonna, who mournfully bowed over him. Both figures are fused into a single whole. Their flawless composition makes them surprisingly true and true. Departing from tradition. Michelangelo portrays the Madonna as young and beautiful. The contrast of her youth with the lifeless body of Christ further enhances the tragedy of the situation.

One of the highest achievements of Michelangelo was statue "David", which he ventured to sculpt from a lump of marble that was lying around without use and already spoiled. The sculpture is very high - 5.5 m. However, this feature remains almost invisible. Perfect proportions, perfect plastic, rare harmony of forms make it surprisingly natural, light and beautiful. The statue is filled with inner life, energy and strength. She is a hymn to human masculinity, beauty, grace and grace.

Among the highest achievements of Michelangelo are also works. created for the tomb of Pope Julius II - "Moses", "Bound Slave", "Dying Slave", "Awakening Slave", "Crouching Boy". The sculptor worked on this tomb with a break for about 40 years, but he never brought it to completion. However, then. that the sculptor managed to create is considered the greatest masterpieces of world art. According to experts, in these works Michelangelo managed to achieve the highest perfection, ideal unity and correspondence between the inner meaning and the outer form.

One of the significant creations of Michelangelo is the Medici Chapel, which he added to the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence and decorated with sculptural tombstones. The two tombs of the Dukes Lorenzo and Giuliano Medici are sarcophagi with sloping lids, on which there are two figures - "Morning" and "Evening", "Day" and "Night". All the figures look bleak, they express anxiety and a gloomy mood. It was these feelings that Michelangelo himself experienced, since his Florence was captured by the Spaniards. As for the figures of the dukes themselves, when portraying them, Michelangelo did not strive for portrait similarity. He presented them as generalized images of two types of people: the courageous and energetic Giuliano and the melancholic and brooding Lorenzo.

Of the last sculptural works of Michelangelo, the group "Entombment", which the artist intended for his tomb, deserves attention. Her fate turned out to be tragic: Michelangelo broke her. However, it was restored by one of his students.

In addition to sculptures, Michelangelo created wonderful works painting. The most significant of these are painting of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

He took them twice. First, by order of Pope Julius II, he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, spending four years on this (1508-1512) and doing a fantastically difficult and enormous job. He had to cover more than 600 square meters with frescoes. On the huge surfaces of the plafond, Michelangelo depicted Old Testament stories - from the Creation of the World to the Flood, as well as scenes from everyday life - a mother playing with children, an old man immersed in deep thought, a young man reading, etc.

For the second time (1535-1541) Michelangelo creates the Last Judgment fresco, placing it on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. In the center of the composition, in a light halo, there is the figure of Christ, raising his right hand in a formidable gesture. There are many nude human figures around it. Everything depicted on the canvas is set in a circular motion, which begins at the bottom.

the left side, which depicts the dead rising from the graves. Above them are the souls striving upward, and above them are the righteous. The uppermost part of the fresco is occupied by angels. In the lower part of the right side there is a boat with Charon, which drives sinners to hell. The biblical meaning of the Last Judgment is expressed vividly and impressively.

In the last years of his life, Michelangelo is engaged architecture. He is completing the construction of the Cathedral of St. Peter, revising Bramante's original design.

The Renaissance era gave the world a multitude of talented artists and sculptors. But among them there are titans of the spirit who have reached unprecedented heights in various fields of activity. Michelangelo Buonarroti was such a genius. Whatever he did: sculpture, painting, architecture or poetry, in everything he showed himself as a highly gifted person. Michelangelo's works are striking in their perfection. He followed the humanism of the Renaissance, endowing people with divine features.

Childhood and youth

The future genius of the Renaissance was born on March 6, 1475 in the town of Caprese in the Casentino district. He was the second son of the podesta Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni and Francesca di Neri. The father gave the child to a wet nurse - the wife of a mason from Settignano. In total, 5 sons were born in the Buonarroti family. Sadly, Francesca died when Michelangelo was 6 years old. After 4 years, Lodovico married again to Lucrezia Ubaldini. His meager income was barely enough to support a large family.

At the age of 10, Michelangelo was sent to the Francesco da Urbino school in Florence. The father wanted his son to become a lawyer. However, the young Buonarroti, instead of studying, ran in the church to copy the works of the old masters. Lodovico often beat the negligent boy - in those days, painting was considered an unworthy occupation for the nobles, to which Buonarroti ranked themselves.

Michelangelo became friends with Francesco Granacci, who studied in the studio of the famous painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. Granacci secretly wore the teacher's drawings, and Michelangelo could practice painting.

In the end, Lodovico Buonarroti resigned himself to the vocation of his son and at the age of 14 sent him to study in the workshop of Ghirlandaio. Under the contract, the boy was supposed to study for 3 years, but after a year he left his teacher.

The ruler of Florence, Lorenzo Medici, decided to found an art school at his court and asked Ghirlandaio to send him some gifted students. Among them was Michelangelo.

At the court of Lorenzo the Magnificent

Lorenzo Medici was a great connoisseur and admirer of art. He patronized many painters and sculptors and was able to collect an excellent collection of their work. Lorenzo was a humanist, philosopher, poet. Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci worked at his court.

The young Michelangelo's mentor was the sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni, a student of Donatello. Michelangelo began to study sculpture with enthusiasm and proved himself to be a talented student. The young man's father was against such occupations: he considered being a stonecutter unworthy for his son. Only Lorenzo the Magnificent himself was able to convince the old man by talking to him personally and promising a monetary position.

At the Medici court, Michelangelo studied not only sculpture. He could communicate with prominent thinkers of his time: Marcelio Ficino, Poliziano, Pico della Mirandola. The Platonic worldview that reigned at court and humanism will have a great influence on the work of the future titan of the Renaissance.

Early work

Michelangelo studied sculpture on antique samples, and painting - copying frescoes by famous masters in the churches of Florence. The young man's talent was already evident in his early works. The most famous of them are the reliefs of the Battle of the Centaurs and the Madonna at the Stairs.

The battle of the centaurs is striking in its dynamism and energy of the battle. This is a collection of naked bodies, heated by the fight and the nearness of death. In this work, Michelangelo takes antique bas-reliefs as a model, but his centaurs are more than that. It is rage, pain and a frantic desire for victory.

The Madonna at the Stairs is different in execution and mood. It resembles a drawing in stone. Smooth lines, many folds and the gaze of the Mother of God, directed into the distance, and full of pain. She hugs the sleeping baby to her and thinks about what awaits him in the future.

Already in these early works, Michelangelo's genius is visible. He does not blindly copy the old masters, but tries to find his own, special way.

Troubled times

After the death of Lorenzo Medici in 1492, Michelangelo returned to his home. The eldest son of Lorenzo Piero became the ruler of Florence.

Michelangelo understood that he needed a deep knowledge of the anatomy of the human body. They could only be obtained by opening corpses. At that time, such activities were compared to witchcraft and could be punishable by execution. Fortunately, the abbot of the monastery of San Spirito agreed to secretly let the artist into the dead. In gratitude, Michelangelo made a wooden statue of the crucified Christ for the monastery.

Piero Medici again invited Michelangelo to the court. One of the orders of the new ruler was the manufacture of a giant from snow. This was undoubtedly humiliating for the great sculptor.

Meanwhile, the situation in the city was heating up. The monk Savonarola, who arrived in Florence, castigated luxury, art, and the carefree life of aristocrats as grave sins in his sermons. He became more and more followers, and soon the refined Florence turned into a stronghold of fanaticism with bonfires where luxury goods burned. Piero Medici fled to Bologna, the French king Charles VIII was preparing to attack the city.

During these turbulent times, Michelangelo and his friends left Florence. He went to Venice and then to Bologna.

In Bologna

In Bologna, Michelangelo had a new patron who appreciated his talent. It was Gianfrancesco Aldovrandi, one of the city's rulers.

Here Michelangelo got acquainted with the works of the famous sculptor Jacopo della Quercia. He spent a lot of time reading Dante and Petrarch.

On the recommendation of Aldovrandi, the City Council commissioned the young sculptor three statues for the tomb of St. Domenic: St. Petronius, the kneeling angel with a candlestick, and St. Proclus. The statues fit perfectly into the composition of the tomb. They were executed with great skill. An angel with a candelabrum has the divinely beautiful face of an antique statue. Short curly hair curls on the head. He has a strong warrior body hidden in the folds of his clothing.

Saint Petronius, the patron saint of the city, holds its model in his hands. He is wearing a bishop's robe. Saint Proclus, frowning, looks ahead, his figure is full of movement and protest. It is believed that this is a self-portrait of young Michelangelo.

This order was desired by many of Bologna's masters, and soon Michelangelo learned that an attack was being prepared on him. This forced him to leave Bologna, where he spent a year.

Florence and Rome

Returning to Florence, Michelangelo received an order from Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco Medici for a statue of John the Baptist, which was later lost.

In addition, Buonarroti sculpted the figure of a sleeping cupid in antique style. Having aged it, Mcelangelo sent the statue with an intermediary to Rome. There it was acquired by Cardinal Raphael Riario as an ancient Roman sculpture. The cardinal considered himself a connoisseur of ancient art. The more he was outraged when the deception was revealed. After learning who the author of Cupid was and admiring his talent, the cardinal invited the young sculptor to Rome. Michelangelo, on reflection, agreed. Riario got back his money spent on the statue. But the cunning middleman refused to sell it back to Michelangelo, realizing that he could sell it again at a higher price. Later, the traces of the Sleeping Cupid were lost for centuries.

Bacchus

Riario invited Michelangelo to stay with him and promised to provide him with work. In Rome, Michelangelo studied ancient sculpture and architecture. He received the first serious order from the cardinal in 1497. It was a statue of Bacchus. Michelangelo finished it in 1499. The image of the ancient god was not entirely canonical. Michelangelo realistically depicted an intoxicated Bacchus, who, swaying, stands with a cup of wine in his hand. Riario refused the sculpture, and it was bought by the Roman banker Jacopo Gallo. The statue was later acquired by the Medici and taken to Florence.

Pieta

Under the patronage of Jacopo Gallo, Michelangelo received an order from the French ambassador to the Vatican, Abbot Jean Bilaire. The Frenchman commissioned a sculpture for his tomb called Pieta, depicting the Mother of God mourning the dead Jesus. In two years, Michelangelo created a masterpiece. He set himself a difficult task, which he did an excellent job: to place the body of a dead man on the lap of a fragile woman. Mary is filled with sorrow and divine love. Her youthful face is beautiful, although at the time of her son's death she should be about 50 years old. The artist explained this by the virginity of Mary and the touch of the Holy Spirit. The naked body of Jesus is in contrast to the Mother of God in lush draperies. His face is calm, despite the suffering he has endured. Pieta is the only work where Michelangelo left his autograph. Hearing a group of people arguing about the authorship of the statue, at night he stamped his name on the sling of the Virgin. Pieta is now in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, where it was transferred in the 18th century.

David

Having become a famous sculptor at the age of 26, Michelangelo returned to his hometown. In Florence, a piece of marble had been waiting for him for 40 years, damaged by the sculptor Agostino di Ducci, who had abandoned work on it. Many craftsmen wanted to work with this block, but the crack formed in the layers of marble scared everyone away. Only Michelangelo dared to accept the challenge. He signed a contract for a statue of the Old Testament King David in 1501 and worked on it for 5 years behind a high fence that hides everything from prying eyes. As a result, Michelangelo created David in the form of a strong youth before the battle with the giant Goliath. His face is concentrated, his eyebrows are drawn together. The body is tense with anticipation of the fight. The statue was so perfectly made that the customers abandoned the original intention to place it near the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. She became a symbol of the love of freedom of Florence, which expelled the Medici clan and entered into a struggle with Rome. As a result, it was placed at the walls of the Palazzo Vecchio, where it stood until the 19th century. Now there is a copy of David, and the original has been moved to the Academy of Fine Arts.

Confrontation between two titans

It is known that Michelangelo had a complex character. He could be rude and quick-tempered, unfair to fellow artists. His confrontation with Leonardo da Vinci is famous. Michelangelo perfectly understood the level of his talent and was jealous of him. The graceful, sophisticated Leonardo was his complete opposite, and greatly annoyed the rough, uncouth sculptor. Michelangelo himself led the ascetic life of a hermit, he was always content with little. Leonardo was constantly surrounded by admirers and students and loved luxury. One thing united the artists: their great genius and dedication to art.

Once, life brought two titans of the Renaissance together in confrontation. Gonfolanier Soderini invited Leonardo da Vinci to paint the wall of the Signoria's new palace. And later he turned to Michelangelo with the same proposal. Two great artists had to create genuine masterpieces on the walls of the Signoria. Leonardo chose the Battle of Anghiari for the plot. Michelangelo was supposed to depict the Battle of Cachin. These were the victories won by the Florentines. Both artists created preparatory boards for the murals. Unfortunately, Soderini's grandiose plan did not materialize. Both works were never created. Cardboards of works were put on public display and became a place of pilgrimage for artists. Thanks to copies, we now know what the plans of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo looked like. The cardboards themselves have not survived, they were cut and taken apart in pieces by artists and onlookers.

Tomb of Julius II

In the midst of work on the Battle of Cascina, Michelangelo was summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II. Dad assigned him to work on his tombstone. A luxurious tomb was originally planned, surrounded by 40 statues, which had no equal. However, this grandiose plan was never destined to come true, although the artist spent 40 years of his life on the tomb of Pope Julius II. After the death of the pope, his relatives made the initial project much easier. Michelangelo sculpted the figures of Moses, Rachel and Leah for the tombstone. He also created the figures of slaves, but they were not included in the final project and were donated by the author Roberto Strozzi. For half of his life, this order hung like a heavy stone on the sculptor as an unfulfilled obligation. Most of all, he was indignant at the departure from the original project. This meant that a lot of the artist's efforts were wasted.

The Sistine Chapel

In 1508, Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Buonarroti accepted this order reluctantly. He was primarily a sculptor, he had not yet had the opportunity to paint frescoes. The painting of the plafond represented a grandiose front of work that lasted until 1512.

Michelangelo had to construct a new type of scaffolding to work under the ceiling and invent a new plaster composition that is not susceptible to mold. The artist painted while standing with his head thrown back for many hours. Paint dripped on his face, he developed osteoarthritis and visual impairment due to such conditions. The artist depicted in 9 frescoes the history of the Old Testament from the creation of the world to the Great Flood. On the side walls, he painted the prophets and ancestors of Jesus Christ. Often Michelangelo had to improvise, as Julius II rushed to finish the work. The Pope was pleased with the result, although he believed that the fresco was not luxurious enough and looked poor due to the small amount of gilding. Michelangelo objected to this by depicting saints, and they were not rich.

The last judgment

After 25 years, Michelangelo returned to the Sistine Chapel to paint the Last Judgment fresco on the altar wall. The artist depicted the second coming of Christ and the Apocalypse. It is believed that this work marked the end of the Renaissance.

The fresco made a splash in Roman society. There were both fans and critics of the great artist's creation. The abundance of naked bodies in the fresco caused fierce controversy during the life of Michelangelo. Church leaders were outraged that the saints were shown in an "obscene form." Subsequently, several corrections were made: clothes and fabric were added to the figures, covering intimate places. Raised many questions and the image of Christ, rather similar to the pagan Apollo. Some critics even suggested that the fresco be destroyed as contrary to Christian canons. Thank God, it did not come to this, and we can see this grandiose creation of Michelangelo, albeit in a distorted form.

Architecture and poetry

Michelangelo was not only a brilliant sculptor and painter. He was also a poet and architect. Of his architectural projects, the most famous are: St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, Palazzo Farnese, the facade of the Medici Church of San Lorenzo, the Laurenzin library. In total, there are 15 buildings or structures where Michelangelo worked as an architect.

Michelangelo wrote poetry all his life. His youthful opuses have not reached us, because the author burned them in a fit of anger. About 300 of his sonnets and madrigals have survived. They are considered an example of Renaissance poetry, although they can hardly be called ideal. Michelangelo praises the perfection of man in them and laments his loneliness and disappointment in modern society. His poems were first published after the death of the author in 1623.

Personal life

Michelangelo devoted his entire life to art. He never got married, he had no children. He lived an ascetic life. Carried away by work, he could eat nothing but a crust of bread and sleep in clothes so as not to waste energy on changing clothes. The artist did not develop relationships with women. Some researchers suggest that Michelangelo had intimate relationships with his students and models, but there is no reliable information about this.

Tommaso Cavalieri

It is known about his close friendship with the Roman nobleman Tommaso Cavalieri. Tommaso was a son of an artist and was very handsome. Michelangelo dedicated many sonnets and letters to him, openly speaking about his ardent feelings and admiring the dignity of the young man. However, it is impossible to judge the artist by today's standards. Michelangelo was an admirer of Plato and his theory of love, which taught to see beauty not so much in the body as in the soul of a person. The highest stage of love, Plato considered the contemplation of beauty in everything around him. Love for another soul according to Plato brings you closer to Divine love. Tommaso Cavalieri maintained friendly relations with the artist until his death and became his executor. At the age of 38 he got married and his son became a famous composer.

Vittoria Colonna

Another example of platonic love is Michelangelo's relationship with the Roman aristocrat Vittoria Colonna. The meeting with this outstanding woman took place in 1536. She was 47 years old, he was over 60. Vittoria belonged to a noble family, bore the title of Princess of Urbino. Her husband was the Marquis de Pescara, a renowned military leader. After his death in 1525, Vittoria Colonna no longer sought to marry and lived in seclusion, devoting herself to poetry and religion. She had a platonic relationship with Michelangelo. It was a great friendship between two already elderly people who had seen a lot in life. They wrote letters to each other, poems, spent time in long conversations. The death of Vittoria in 1547 deeply shocked Michelangelo. He plunged into depression, Rome disgusted him.

Frescoes in the Paolina Chapel

Some of the last works of Michelangelo were the frescoes in the Paolina Chapel The Conversion of St. Paul and the Crucifixion of St. Peter, which, due to his advanced age, he painted with great difficulty. The frescoes are striking in their emotional power and harmonious composition.

In the depiction of the apostles, Michelangelo broke the generally accepted tradition. Peter expresses his protest and struggle, being nailed to the cross. And Michelangelo portrayed Paul as an old man, although the conversion of the future apostle took place at a young age. Thus, the artist compared him with Pope Paul III - the customer of the frescoes.

Death of a genius

Before his death, Michelangelo burned many of his drawings and poems. The great master died on February 18, 1564 at the age of 88 from an illness. At his death, a doctor, a notary and friends were present, including Tommaso Cavalieri. Michelangelo's nephew Leonardo became the heir to the property, namely 9,000 ducats, drawings and unfinished statues.

Where is Michelangelo Buonarroti buried?

Michelangelo wanted to be buried in Florence. But in Rome, everything was already prepared for a luxurious funeral rite. Leonardo Buonarroti had to steal his uncle's body and secretly take it to his hometown. There Michelangelo was solemnly buried in the church of Santa Croce along with other great Florentines. The tomb was designed by Giorgio Vasari.

Michelangelo was a rebellious spirit glorifying the divine in man. The significance of his legacy can hardly be overestimated. He was not just a representative of the Italian Renaissance, he became a huge part of world art. Michelangelo Buonarroti now remains one of the greatest geniuses of mankind and will always be so.

One of the most influential figures in Western art, the Italian painter and sculptor Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni remains one of the most famous artists in the world even more than 450 years after his death. I invite you to get acquainted with the most famous works of Michelangelo from the Sistine Chapel to his sculpture of David.

Sistine Chapel ceiling

At the mention of Michelangelo, the artist's beautiful fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican immediately comes to mind. Michelangelo was hired by Pope Julius II and worked on the fresco from 1508 to 1512. The work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel depicts nine stories from Genesis and is considered one of the greatest works of the High Renaissance. Michelangelo himself initially refused to take on the project, since he considered himself more of a sculptor than a painter. Nevertheless, this work continues to delight about five million visitors to the Sistine Chapel every year.

Statue of David, Accademia Gallery in Florence

The statue of David is the most famous sculpture in the world. Michelangelo's David sculpted for three years, and the master took up her at the age of 26. Unlike many of the earlier depictions of the biblical hero, which depict David triumphant after his battle with Goliath, Michelangelo was the first artist to depict him in suspense before the legendary encounter. Originally housed in Piazza della Signoria in Florence in 1504, the 4-meter sculpture was moved to the Accademia Gallery in 1873, where it remains to this day. You can read more about the Accademia Gallery in our selection of attractions in Florence on LifeGlobe.

Sculpture of Bacchus at the Bargello Museum

Michelangelo's first large-scale sculpture is the marble Bacchus. Together with Pieta, it is one of two surviving sculptures from the Roman period by Michelangelo. It is also one of several works by the artist to focus on pagan rather than Christian themes. The statue depicts the Roman god of wine in a relaxed position. The work was originally commissioned by Cardinal Raffaele Riario, who eventually turned it down. However, by the early 16th century, Bacchus had found a home in the garden of the Roman palace of the banker Jacopo Galli. Since 1871, Bacchus has been on display at the Bargello National Museum in Florence, along with other works by Michelangelo, including a marble bust of Brutus and his unfinished sculpture of David-Apollo.

Madonna of Bruges, Church of Our Lady of Bruges

The Madonna of Bruges was the only sculpture by Michelangelo who left Italy during the artist's lifetime. It was donated to the Church of the Virgin Mary in 1514 after it was bought by the family of the Mouscron cloth merchant. The statue left the church several times, first during the French Revolutionary Wars, after which it was returned in 1815 to be stolen again by Nazi soldiers during World War II. This episode is dramatically depicted in the 2014 film Treasure Hunters, starring George Clooney.

Torment of Saint Anthony

The main property of the Kimbell Museum of Art in Texas is the painting "The Torment of St. Anthony" - the first of Michelangelo's famous paintings. It is believed that the artist painted it between the ages of 12 and 13, based on an engraving by the 15th century German painter Martin Schongauer. The painting was created under the tutelage of his elder friend Francesco Granacci. The Torment of St. Anthony was regarded by the 16th century painters and writers Giorgio Vasari and Ascanio Condivi - the earliest biographers of Michelangelo - as a particularly curious work with a creative approach to Schongauer's original engraving. The painting received wide acclaim from peers.

Madonna Doni

Madonna Doni (Holy Family) is the only surviving easel work by Michelangelo. The work was created for the wealthy Florentine banker Agnolo Doni in honor of his wedding to Maddalena, daughter of the prominent Tuscan noble Strozzi family. The painting is still in its original frame, crafted from wood by Michelangelo himself. Madonna Doni has been in the Uffizzi Gallery since 1635 and is the only painting by the master in Florence. With his unusual presentation of objects, Michelangelo laid the foundation for the later Mannerist artistic direction.

Pieta at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican

Along with David, the statue of Pieta from the late 15th century is considered one of Michelangelo's most outstanding and famous works. Originally created for the grave of the French Cardinal Jean de Billier, the sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Body of Christ after his crucifixion. This was a common theme for funeral monuments in Italy's Renaissance era. Relocated to St. Peter's Basilica in the 18th century, Pieta is the only work of art signed by Michelangelo. The statue has suffered significant damage over the years, especially when the Hungarian-born Australian geologist Laszlo Toth hit it with a hammer in 1972.

Moses Michelangelo in Rome

Located in the beautiful Roman basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, "Moses" was commissioned in 1505 by Pope Julius II as part of his funeral monument. Michelangelo did not manage to finish the monument until the death of Julius II. The sculpture carved from marble is famous for the unusual pair of horns on the head of Moses - the result of a literal interpretation of the Latin translation of the Vulgate Bible. It was proposed to combine the statue with other works, including the Dying Slave, now located in the Paris Louvre.

The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel

Another Michelangelo's masterpiece is located in the Sistine Chapel - the Last Judgment is on the wall of the altar of the church. It was completed 25 years after the artist painted his fearsome fresco on the ceiling of the Chapel. The Last Judgment is often cited as one of Michelangelo's most complex works. The magnificent work of art depicts God's judgment on humanity, originally condemned due to nudity. The Council of Trent denounced the fresco in 1564 and hired Daniele da Volterra to cover the obscene parts.

Crucifixion of Saint Peter, Vatican

The Crucifixion of Saint Peter is Michelangelo's final fresco in the Paolina Vatican Chapel. The work was created by order of Pope Paul III in 1541. Unlike many other Renaissance-era depictions of Peter, Michelangelo's work focuses on a much darker theme - his death. The five-year € 3.2 million restoration project began in 2004 and revealed a very interesting aspect of the mural: Researchers believe that the blue-turbaned figure in the upper left corner is actually the artist himself. Thus, the Crucifixion of St. Peter in the Vatican is the only known self-portrait of Michelangelo and a real gem of the Vatican museums.

Michelangelo (1475-1564) was a sculptor, painter and architect. He is considered one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance and possibly of all time. His work demonstrated, never seen before, a combination of psychological insight, physical realism and intensity. His contemporaries recognized his extraordinary talent, and Michelangelo received commissions from some of the richest and most powerful people of his time, including popes and others associated with the Catholic Church. His paintings, in particular those that adorn the Sistine Chapel, are carefully guarded so that future generations can view them and appreciate Michelangelo's talent.

The Sistine Chapel (formerly a church) was built in the most sacred part of Italy, the Vatican, between 1473-1481. architect George de Dolci, commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV, hence its name. Within its walls, new popes have always been elected and elected. Today the Chapel is a museum and a famous monument of the Renaissance.

In 1508, Pope Julius II summoned Michelangelo to Rome to work on a rather expensive and ambitious painting project: to depict the 12 apostles on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Instead, during a four-year project, Michelangelo painted 12 figures around the central part of the ceiling: seven prophets and five sibyls, and filled the center with 9 scenes from Genesis.

25 years after the end of the ceiling painting, in 1537 - 1541. Michelangelo continued painting the Sistine Chapel and painted a large-scale fresco "The Last Judgment". It occupies the entire wall behind the altar. The fresco was commissioned by Pope Clement VII, who died while preparing for the painting. He was replaced by Paul III, who wished that the picture, nevertheless, be completed.

The most famous of Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is "The Creation of Adam". On it, God and Adam stretch out their hands to each other. This gesture looks very emotional, and cannot leave indifferent literally any of the connoisseurs of painting.

CREATION:

"Separation of light from darkness"

This fresco depicts the Sabaoth. He disperses the clouds with just one powerful movement of his hands, fighting chaos, strives to separate light and darkness.

"Creation of the sun and planets"

The fresco was made by Michelangelo Buonarroti around 1509-10. Its size is 570 cm x 280 cm. The fresco displays the events described in the biblical story, Genesis, chapter 1, verses 14 to 19 inclusive.

"Separation of land from waters"

The fresco depicts events described in the Bible, in the Old Testament, the book of Genesis, chapter 1, verses 1 - 5.

ADAM AND EVE:

"Creation of Adam"

The fresco was done by Michelangelo around 1511. The fresco depicts the moment when God, with a movement of his hand, as it were, gives Adam vital energy, revives an already created body. The size of the fresco: 280 cm x 570 cm.

"Creation of Eve"

The fresco was made by Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1508 - 1512. From the rib of the sleeping Adam, God creates Eve.

"The fall and expulsion from paradise"

The fresco was made by Michelangelo Buonarroti around 1508-1512. The tree of knowledge, located in the center, as it were, divides the life of Adam and Eve into before and after eating the forbidden fruit.

NOY'S STORY:

"Sacrifice of Noah".

This fresco was painted by Michelangelo around 1508-1512. It depicts a plot about how, after the Great Flood, grateful for his salvation and the salvation of his family, Noah makes a sacrifice to God.

"Global flood"

The fresco was painted by Michelangelo around 1508 - 1509. Its size is 570 cm x 280 cm. It tells us about how people tried to escape from the Flood, how they reacted to what was happening and what methods they tried to avoid death.

"Noah's drunkenness"

The fresco belongs to the brush of Michelangelo and was made by him in 1509. Its size is 260 cm x 170 cm. The fresco depicts events from the Book of Genesis, chapter 9, verses 20-23.

SIVILLES:

"Libyan Sibyl"

Sibyls in ancient culture were called soothsayers, prophetesses who predict the future, coming troubles. According to Varro (Roman writer and encyclopedic scientist of the 1st century BC), the word Sibyl is translated as "God's will."

"Persian sibyl"

The Persian sibyl is depicted in the fresco as an elderly woman, apparently with not very good eyesight, since she brought the book too close to her eyes. Her advanced age is also indicated by her very closed clothes. Sibyl seems to be completely focused on reading and does not pay any attention to what is happening around her.

"Kumskaya sibyl"

The prophetess is depicted in the fresco as an old but strong woman with well-developed muscles. The Kumskaya sibyl is often mentioned in ancient literature: in the "Satyricon" by Petronius, in the "Annals" of Tacitus, "Metamorphoses" by Ovid and "Aeneid" by Virgil. Many artists have depicted her in their paintings. In addition to Michelangelo, she was also painted by Titian, Raphael, Giovanni Cerrini, Andrea del Castagno, Jan van Eyck and others.

"Eritrean Sibyl"

This fresco depicts the Sibyl as a young, rather attractive and developed woman, who seems to be reading at a later time. A small putti uses a torch to light a lamp for her.

"Delphic Sibyl"

The Delphic Sibyl is a mythical woman who existed before the Trojan War (approximately 11th century BC). It is mentioned in his manuscript, in the stories that he heard from the locals, Pausanias (Greek travel geographer who lived in the 2nd century AD).

PROPHETS:

"Prophet Jeremiah"

Jeremiah is the 2nd of the four prophets of the Old Testament, who lived around 655 BC. e, the author of 2 books: "Lamentations of Jeremiah" and "The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah." On the fresco, the saddened prophet is immersed in heavy thoughts about the fate of the people.

Prophet Daniel

Daniel is a biblical prophet who lived in the 7th century BC. He had a gift from God to interpret dreams.

"Prophet Ezekiel"

Ezekiel is a great Old Testament prophet who lived in Jerusalem around 622 BC. NS. According to the Bible, the Book of Ezekiel, he made prophecies against the Gentiles and Jews, testified about the vision of the glory of the Lord, etc.

"Prophet Isaiah"

For Christians, the prophecies of Isaiah about the future birth and coming of the Messiah (Isa. 7:14, Is. 9: 6), as well as about ministry (Isa. 61: 1) are especially valuable. He also prophesied about the fate of Egypt and Israel.

"Prophet Joel"

The fresco depicts one of the 12 minor prophets - the prophet Joel, the son of Bethuel, according to legend, who lived in the city of Bethar and wrote the book of prophecies.

"Prophet Jonah"

This slightly unusual fresco depicts Jonah, one of the seven Old Testament prophets, painted by Michelangelo. Behind him is a big fish. This is a reference to the fact that in the book of Jonah, it is swallowed by a whale.

"Prophet Zechariah"

Zechariah was one of the twelve "lesser" prophets. In church tradition, he is young, but Michelangelo painted him as a gray-haired man, aged, with a long beard.

"The Last Judgment"

The theme of the fresco: the second coming of Jesus Christ and the apocalypse. Her size: 1200 cm x 1370 cm.