Michelangelo (1475-1564) 

Pieta the work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion

If I could go back to a point in time.......The time artist Michelangelo was at his height it would have to be. The greatness and magnitude of his knowledge and his working is most defiantly something I wish I could be witness of.......Especially after my trip to Rome and seeing such sculptures as Pieta..







I'd also love to visit Florence and see the statue of David....DAVID
See source of info @  http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-david/facts-about-david/

Michelangelo Buonarroti was born on 6 March 1475 in Caprese near Florence (Italy) where his father was the local magistrate. A few weeks after his birth, the family moved to Florence. In 1488, Michelangelo was apprenticed to the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. 

In 1496 he moved to Rome and it was here he created statues including the Pieta for which he got recognition.  Around 1500 he returned to Florence and it was here David sculpted.

Michelangelo's next major commission was the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican (1508-1512). It was recognised at once as a great work of art and from then on Michelangelo was regarded as Italy's greatest living artist.

Again in 1534, Michelangelo returned to Rome where he was commissioned to paint 'The Last Judgement' on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel (1537-1541). From 1546 he was increasingly active as an architect, in particular on the great church of St Peter's. He died in Rome on 18 February 1564.

I do love the story of the alter wall in the Sistine Chapel.... The work called The Last Jugdement 

See the 50 most interesting facts of the Sistine Chapel for a good read! 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/italy/rome/9917841/Romes-Sistine-Chapel-50-fascinating-facts.html

Christ the Judge 

The center figure is Christ deciding the destiny of the human race. With a gesture of his arms he damns a large part of humanity plunging them into hell, but some are saved rising to heaven. Even the Madonna at his side seems to cower in fear at the scene. 

Just below the figure of Christ, is St Bartholomew who holds a sheet of his own skin in his left hand and in his right hand is a knife. This symbolizes the terrible fate of the st Bartholomew who was flayed alive. The face on the skin is reputed to be a self-portrait of the artist.

The Boatman Charon 

Charon is the mythical boatman of Roman and Greek mythology who ferried the damned to hell.

At the bottom of the painting the boatman Charon can be seen sending them to hell.

 Lower down on Christ’s right is the figure of a damned man who covers one eye in fear of his terrible fate.

The Righteous are raised into Heaven

Michelangelo’s knowledge of human anatomy is illustrated by the mass of bodies, viewed from every angle, as they are raised into Heaven.

The Saved Rejoiced 

Later on however it was decided that works of art in sacred places had to be modest and a pupil of Michelangelo, Daniele da Volterra, was commissioned to cover the figures nakedness with loincloths and veils. Originally all the figures were naked but da Volterra's intervention earned him the nickname of the maker of breeches.

With the restoration of the chapel in the 1980's and 1990's only Daniele da Volterra's additions have been saved as part of the history of the painting, all other additions in the Vatican have now been removed. 

The scale of the work is huge and it is said Michelangelo gave some illusion and exaggerated of body parts of the figures thus making them work in perspective better...Doing a Life Drawing class I cant imagine even trying to start such a task........ 

To visit this work again for me is a must! I remember feeling a sense of greatness and not being religious as such also a sense of admiration.

Rome is filled full of great works even walking into what looks like a little church or building isn't all it seems.....once inside the interiors are awe inspiring. 

  

 Also stunning...... In 2016... In Glasgow at the end of a street we have 

In Rome you have

need I say more!