Michelangelo Buonarroti

Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in Caprese, a small village near Florence, in 1475. When he was thirteen, the Ghirlandaio art shop engaged him. The Shop of Ghirlandaio was very famous in Florence and also Leonardo Da Vinci worked there for a lot of years. Sculpture was the first love of Michelangelo. In 1490 he carved in the marble the Centauromachia ( Firenze, Casa Buonarroti museum  ), a splendid bas-relief in which we can see all the action spirit of the artist. In 1490 he sculptured the Madonna Della Scala (Firenze, Casa Buonarroti museum ),in 1494 the Candle Angel ( Bologna, S. Domenico ),in 1496 Bacco ( Firenze, Bargello Museum). One of the famous work of art of the artist is the “ Pietà “, now conserved in Rome ( San Pietro Cathedral ). The artist was convinced that all the figures were imprisoned in the marble blocks, so the sculptor had to let them free. This is the reason of the vitality of Michelangelo sculptures that seem to be alive also if made with cold marble. In 1501 the artist began to work to the David, (Firenze, Academy Museum). The sculpture is 4,34 m. high and was placed in Signoria Place in 1504. The one you can see is a copy. In that period Buonarroti painted the “ Sacra Famiglia “, a very beautiful picture you can see in “ Uffizi “ museum. After that the artist left Florence going to Rome where the Pope ordered him a lot of sculptures and paintings. In 1516 Michelangelo came back to Florence, the Pope Leone X ordered him to design the front of the S. Lorenzo Cathedral. The project is now conserved in Florence in the Buonarroti Museum. The front was never realized. The Pope decided to realize a new sacristy in S. Lorenzo, Michelangelo was the designer and the sculptor of the new room. Many sculpures were realized by the artist on the Medici’s graves: The Aurora, the Madonna con Bambino, La Notte, all of them realized nearly in 1530. The Florentine republic was to the end and Michelangelo decided to leave the city. In Rome he painted the Cappella Sistina frescos. He worked alone for many years to the project recently restored and visible in Rome, Vatican Palace. Michelangelo Buonarroti died in Florence in 1564.

Davide, Piazza Signoria

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