Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Personality - Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 – 1564)


"It has been said that Michelangelo Buonarotti nailed some poor man to a board and pierced his heart with a spear, so as to paint a crucifixion." Francesco Susinno here repeats an early urban legend about one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance.

Michelangelo Ludovico Buonarroti-Simoni – sculptor, painter, architect and poet was considered the greatest living artist in his lifetime. His practice of several arts, however, was not unusual in his time. Few artists have been as prolific; fewer still have succeeded in creating enduring masterpieces in so many mediums. He would have guaranteed his place in history if he had produced only the David, or painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or erected St. Peter’s. Rather, he made all three, and each is an ultimate achievement in the history of human endeavor.


Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475 in the little town of Caprese, not far from Florence. His father, Ludovico Buonarroti was serving a six-month term as podesta, or resident magistrate. The mayor of the obscure commune of Caprese made an entry in his notebook, "This day a male child was born to me. I give him the name of Michelangelo". This simple announcement was made at the birth of a genius. When Michelangelo was only a few weeks old, his father’s term of office expired and the family returned to Florence. He was placed in the care of a marble-worker’s wife at Settignano. Michelangelo’s mother, Francesca de Neri died when he was six. In 1485, his father married again.

Little Michelangelo haunted Florence. He minutely observed the paintings that filled the ancient pieces of beauty. Many of the buildings and works of art, which are still attracting visitors were standing tall in Florence at the time of Michelangelo. Those places happened to be his school where he got all his needed education.

When old enough to go to school, Michelangelo was sent to school but by no means he became a dedicated student. He never concentrated in studies, instead all he did during those years was drawing in the workshops of the various painters .By the time he was 13 the thought of being an artist had imbibed him thoroughly. Though artists were honored in Florence, his decision had brought worries to his father. There were many artists in Florence but they were all rich in terms of art and not in wealth.

Ludovico made acquaintance with Francesco Granacci, who was working with the famous Ghirlandaio brothers. Michelangelo finally got apprenticed to two artists– Domenico and David Ghirlandaio, on April 1, 1488, for three years. Domenico Ghirlandaio was the head of the studio in which Michelangelo started his work. He was one of the most famous painters in Florence.

Earlier, Ludovico, Michelangelo’s father, had argued with him about taking up the profession, least aware of what the future had in store for his son who was to be one of the most illustrious artists of all time. He tried to dissuade Michelangelo by saying that they were descendants of the Counts of Canossa and it would be unbecoming of their nobility to engage in such a profession. However,later Michelangelo’s decision made him the benefactor of the entire family. He earned better than any other of his four brothers.


It is of interest that Ludovico was not a wealthy man, but the Buonarotti or Buonarroti-Simoni, as they liked to call themselves, were proud of their lineage. Luckily for the world of art, Michelangelo stuck to his decision and his father had to relent. The Buonarotti pride ran in his blood and the passionate sculptor in him carved out success and took his fame to greater heights. He sucked in this passion, as he used to say, with his foster-mother’s milk in the marble quarries of Settignano.
In 1489, he went to the ‘School of Sculpture’ in the Medici Gardens. Here, Lorenzo de Medici, the ruler of Florence, allowed young sculptors to study his collection of antique sculptures under the tutorship of Bertoldo Di Giovanni. Michelangelo studied Greek and Roman marbles, making among other copies, a marble head of an old Faun (now lost). It was his first attempt at sculpture, but the copy was extremely good and it attracted Lorenzo’s attention.

Lorenzo realized soon that Michelangelo had immense talent and sent for Michelangelo’s father. He persuaded Ludovico to agree to Michelangelo’s living in the Medici Palace and continuing his studies under Bertoldo’s eye. To Ludovico, he offered any official position. The next three years were probably in many ways, the happiest in Michelangelo’s long life. The members of the Medici circle inspired in Michelangelo a love of literature. They also taught him the ideas of neo-Platonism – a philosophy that regards the body as a trap for the soul that longs to return to God. Scholars interpret many of Michelangelo’s works in terms of these ideas. It is seen in his human figures that appear to break free from the stone that imprisons them. Michelangelo also listened to the conversations of Marsilio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola and other humanists. Their influence was profound and he remained a Christian Platonist to the end of his days.

In the spring of 1492, Lorenzo died. His son, Piero de Medici inherited the position. Piero invited Michelangelo to remain as a guest in the palace but gave him no serious commissions. Michelangelo returned home. War was drawing close and the French army marched toward Florence. It became evident that disaster was imminent. In October 1494, Michelangelo fled and six weeks later the French entered Florence. The Medici were expelled and for the next four years (1494-98), Savonarola a preacher and religious reformer, governed the town. Florence was under the sway of Girolamo Savonarola who had managed to turn the city into a virtual theocracy. Michelangelo, too, had heard his sermons and admired them. In a frenzy of reform, the city gave up its luxurious, self-indulgent lifestyle, even consigning books and works of art to the famous ‘bonfire of the vanities’. Michelangelo told his biographer, Ascanio Condivi, years later that he still retained the memory of the Friar’s voice. Florence under Savonarola was not a conducive atmosphere for artists; especially those closely associated with the exiled Medici.

After a year in Bologna, Michelangelo returned to Florence. He carved a St. John for Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de Medici, a cousin of Lorenzo de Medici. This St. John is lost, and so are three other early works : a marble Hercules, a wooden Christ on a cross and a Sleeping Cupid. The Sleeping Cupid was sold by a dealer to the cardinal Raffaello Riario di San Giorgio, as a genuine antique. When the fraud was discovered, the cardinal could not but help admire Michelangelo’s skill.

In June 1496, Michelangelo went to Rome in the fond hope of finding a patron in the cardinal of San Giorgio. But Jacopo Galli, another collector of antique sculpture, commissioned him to make a life-size marble statue of a standing Cupid (now lost). Jacopo Galli’s next commission was for Bacchus and later, a Pieta for the French cardinal Jean de Villiers de La Groslaye. It is the only sculpture that Michelangelo signed with his name. In spite of his great achievements, he received no further commissions in Rome, and in the spring of 1501 returned to Florence.

On his return Michelangelo found that many changes had taken place – there was a democratic regime. A few months later, Pietro Soderini, an admirer of his was elected the head of the Siginoria. Soon the artist was entrusted with more commissions than he would deal with. On August 6, 1501, he made a contract for a gigantic marble David and before he had finished it, a bronze David was commissioned. Before this second statue was cast, he had signed another contract for the 12 marble statues of the apostles for the Cathedral. At the same time he worked on a commission he had accepted from Cardinal Francesco Piccolamini for 15 marble statues.
When the great statue of David was completed, the question of its placement arose. A meeting of the chief artists in Florence was called to discuss the matter. After much deliberation, Michelangelo decided that his David should replace Donatello’s Judith, which stood in the Piazza Signoria. David was placed outside the main entrance to the Pallazzo Vecchio. The statue was the pride of all Florence. For years, the events were dated by it and people remembered events by the date of the erection of the statue.

While working on the David, Michelangelo neglected the commission for the 15 figures for the Siena Cathedral and at last, finished only four. Of the 12 apostles for the Florence Cathedral, Michelangelo began only one, the unfinished St. Mathew.

Between 1503 and 1505, Michelangelo executed three tondi (circular representations) of the Madonna. While Michelangelo was working on the tondi, Leonardo-da-Vinci was designing a painting for the east wall in the Sala del Gran Consiglio. A few months later, Pietro Soderini procured for Michelangelo the commission to execute a companion painting. Michelangelo designed the cartoon between 1504 and 1506, but neither artist ever executed the work in Fresco.

In August 1503, Pope Alexander VI died and was succeeded by Pope Pious III who too, passed away soon. Cardinal Vincula became Pope Julius II – a Pope who was to play a very important role in the life of Michelangelo. Pope Julius II took a passionate interest in art and architecture. He was determined to be served by the finest artists of his day. Michelangelo, at the age of 30, was the most famous artist in Italy. He was working on the cartoon for the council chamber and a number of other contracts. But when the Pope commanded, everyone else had to give way. In 1850, Michelangelo left the Pisa cartoon as it was rode away to Rome for the second time.

The latter part of the winter (1532-33), and the following spring, Michelangelo spent in Rome. He formed a life-long friendship with Tommaso de Cavalieri, to whom he dedicated many poems and drawing. Michelangelo decided to settle in Rome. In June 1533, he returned for four months to Florence and made arrangements with his assistants to finish the Medici Chapel and the Laurentian library.

In November 1533, Michelangelo went once more to Rome to work on the Julius monument, but Pope Clement insisted that he complete the decoration of the Sistine Chapel. Clement wanted him to paint the wall above the back of the altar - the subject chosen was the Last Judgment. The artist moved to Rome. He was 60 years old and had another 30 years to live, but he never saw Florence again.

On September 25, 1534, Pope Clement VII died, to be succeeded by Pope Paul III. The actual work of the painting of the Last Judgment began in 1536. It was unveiled on November 1, 1543 – almost 30 years after the unveiling of the ceiling Frescoes. The painting had an enormous influence on artists of the period but also aroused the hostility of theologians and men of letters. During this time – known as Michelangelo’s religious period – he came into contact with the widow Vittoria Colonna, Marchesa of Pescara. Michelangelo met her when he was 63, became her friend, and dedicated to her many poems and religious drawings.

In 1546, Michelangelo was appointed by Pope Paul III to complete the Palarro Farnese – the building left incomplete by Antonio da Sangallo. Michelangelo also succeeded Sangallo as the chief architect of St. Peter’s.

In Michelangelo there was an eternal dissatisfaction – as there is in every artist – and that drained his body into that of an aged, eccentric man, sleepless, ill; the man whose restlessness sent him out before his death to wander in the pouring rain.

On February 12, 1564, Danielle da Volterra watched his master all day working on a Pieta. Two days later, Michelangelo fell ill and wandered around in the open air. After two days in bed, he

died on February 18, 1564, in the presence of a number of friends and doctors. His body was taken to Florence, to be buried, by his nephew and heir Leonardo Buonarroti. The kingdom of arts had suffered the loss of one genius.

Pope Julius II entrusted to Michelangelo the task of executing his tomb. Michelangelo worked on the design of the tomb and got the Pope’s approval. In April, he left for the quarries of Carrara in order to superintend the breaking and shipping of the marble blocks. The first of these blocks arrived in Rome in January 1506. But soon, Michelangelo felt that the Pope’s interest in the tomb was waning. Michelangelo, possessed of an artist’s temperament, felt that undue attention was being given to Bramante and his plan for rebuilding St. Peter’s in which the tomb was to be placed. As a result, there occurred one of the most famous quarrels in history of arts. It is reported that Michelangelo wrote to the Pope "If you require me in future, you can seek me elsewhere than in Rome."

On April 17, 1506, the day before the Pope laid the foundation stone of the new church; Michelangelo fled on horseback from Rome to Florence. During this time, the Pope was engaged in a military campaign against Bologna, which ended in triumph on November 10, 1506. As soon as the campaign ended, he summoned Michelangelo to join him there. On reaching Bologna, Michelangelo was taken into the presence of the Pope. On seeing the Pope, he knelt down. "So instead of coming to us, you have waited till we came to seek you," exclaimed Julius. Michelangelo was granted his pardon. He was ordered to make a bronze portrait of the Pope and so Michelangelo had no alternative but to start. The statue was completed at last early in the new year.

On February 21, 1508, the titanic bronze statue was placed over the central door of the Cathedral of St. Petronio, and Michelangelo, finally, was free to return to Florence. Three years later the

statue that had caused its creator so much labor, anxiety, disappointment and discomfort was thrown down from its perch by the victorious Bentivogli family when they regained power in Bologna. Nothing remains of this great statue.
Early in March 1508, Michelangelo was back in Florence where he rented a workshop. A few weeks later, he was again ordered back to Rome by Julius II. The new project that the Pope envisioned was for Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – the Pope’s private Chapel. Three hundred figures were to be painted as against the 12 of the original project. Michelangelo protested at first that he was not a painter but a sculptor. The Pope would not accept a refusal. He had made up his mind and nothing could change it. Despite certain interruptions, Michelangelo worked at the ceiling, until it was finished and finally unveiled on October 31, 1512.

In February 1513, Pope Julius II passed away. He had left the papacy much stronger than it had ever been. A month later, Giovanni de Medici, Lorenzo the Magnificent’s second son was elected Pope and took the name of Leo X. The election of a Medici to the papacy silenced all opposition to the family in Florence. For the following two or three years Michelangelo worked at the tomb of Julius II. It was during this time that he produced Moses.

Pope Leo X employed Michelangelo as an architect. Michelangelo designed for him the front of a small Chapel in Castle Sant Angelo in Rome (1514). In 1516, Michelangelo returned to Florence and worked on two commissions intended to bring honor to the Medici. For the façade of the church of San Lorenzo, he made several designs and models but these magnificent plans were never carried out.

In 1523, Cardinal Giulio de Medici became the Pope, taking the name of Clement VII. 1520 onwards, Michelangelo made designs for the completion of the Medici Chapel. Pope Clement VII wanted Michelangelo to add a library to the cloisters of San Lorenzo. Clement, who admired Michelangelo, arranged for a pension to be paid to him and also a rent. Besides, free house near the church of San Lorenzo. This was done to enable him to be near his work. The ongoing war between the Pope and the emperor reached a climax while Michelangelo was still laboring on the Medici tombs and Julius monument.

In 1527, Rome was occupied and sacked by the imperial tombs and the Pope was besieged in Castle Sant Angelo. The emperor and Pope soon reconciled and agreed to restore the rule of the Medici in Rome. In 1529, Michelangelo was employed as a military engineer to fortify Florence against the expected attacks. He went on diplomatic missions to Ferrara and Venice and negotiated pessimistically for a future residence in France. He was declared a traitor and threatened with confiscation of his property. On August 12, 1530, Florence capitulated and the imperial troops entered the city, which was handed over to the Pope. Michelangelo went into hiding, but at the intervention of Valori, was promised immunity by Pope Clement. The Pope agreed to help him only on the condition that he resumed work on the Medici Chapel. Michelangelo made the first designs in February 1526 and the work was completed in the winter of 1532-33.

No comments: