Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael died almost simultaneously. The third brilliant master of the high Renaissance, Michelangelo Buonarroti, has outlived his great contemporaries.
The first half of his work takes place in the same socio-political environment in which Leonardo and Rafael had to work. The second half of the life of Michelangelo falls to a time when Italy, exhausted by continuous wars, was at the mercy of the feudal-Catholic reaction. That’s why Michelangelo’s activities are divided into two halves: for the first period, until about 1530-ies, referring entirely to the era of the High Renaissance, and to the second, usually regarded as the completion of the Renaissance.
Michelangelo was sculptor, architect, painter and poet. He put the sculpture above all other arts. One of the early works of Michelangelo is a five-meter statue of David, set on a square in Florence. He sculpted from a single marble block of beauty in his restrained anger of a young giant.
“David”
Michelangelo is a symbol of courageous struggle and unshakable confidence in victory, this embodiment of courage, will and formidable power.
From 1508 to 1512, Michelangelo worked on the ceiling painting of the Sistine Chapel. This painting – one of the most grandiose and majestic creations of the Renaissance. On an area of about 500 square meters. meters, Michelangelo scattered countless human figures in a variety of poses. The content of this painting is the history of the human race, as it is told in the Bible, from the first day of creation to the birth of Jesus. In ten central fields, Michelangelo portrayed the events of the first days of creation, the history of Adam and Eve, and the history of the “Flood of the Universe.” In one of the central fields, Michelangelo painted the creation of the sun and moon. A powerful figure of God rushes through the blue sky, supported by angels. With one hand, God touches the circle – and the sun lights up. With the touch of the other hand He creates the moon and rushes further in the whirlwind of creative impulse.
The God of Michelangelo in Sixtin is the creator who creates the world in a creative impulse. In the composition “The Creation of Adam,” God, sweeping across the sky, stretches His hand on the fly to the hand of Adam’s still restrained sleep, and life illuminates in the first man’s heavy body. The figure of Adam is one of the most characteristic figures created by Michelangelo. This is a powerful body of an athlete, but at the same time something heavy, it is fettering in this body. The figure is based on internal contradictions, characteristic of the very Michelangelo, who was destined to live in the era of crisis and be the spokesman of the escalated contradictions. On the edges of the plafond are depicted thinkers, sages, prophets. They are full of strength and excitement. Many of them are immersed in meditation. creating a world in a creative impulse. In the composition “The Creation of Adam,” God, sweeping across the sky, stretches His hand on the fly to the hand of Adam’s still restrained sleep, and life illuminates in the first man’s heavy body. The figure of Adam is one of the most characteristic figures created by Michelangelo. This is a powerful body of an athlete, but at the same time something heavy, it is fettering in this body. The figure is based on internal contradictions, characteristic of the very Michelangelo, who was destined to live in the era of crisis and be the spokesman of the escalated contradictions. On the edges of the plafond are depicted thinkers, sages, prophets. They are full of strength and excitement. Many of them are immersed in meditation. creating a world in a creative impulse. In the composition “The Creation of Adam,” God, sweeping across the sky, stretches His hand on the fly to the hand of Adam’s still restrained sleep, and life illuminates in the first man’s heavy body. The figure of Adam is one of the most characteristic figures created by Michelangelo. This is a powerful body of an athlete, but at the same time something heavy, it is fettering in this body. The figure is based on internal contradictions, characteristic of the very Michelangelo, who was destined to live in the era of crisis and be the spokesman of the escalated contradictions. On the edges of the plafond are depicted thinkers, sages, prophets. They are full of strength and excitement. Many of them are immersed in meditation. The figure of Adam is one of the most characteristic figures created by Michelangelo. This is a powerful body of an athlete, but at the same time something heavy, it is fettering in this body. The figure is based on internal contradictions, characteristic of the very Michelangelo, who was destined to live in the era of crisis and be the spokesman of the escalated contradictions. On the edges of the plafond are depicted thinkers, sages, prophets. They are full of strength and excitement. Many of them are immersed in meditation. The figure of Adam is one of the most characteristic figures created by Michelangelo. This is a powerful body of an athlete, but at the same time something heavy, it is fettering in this body. The figure is based on internal contradictions, characteristic of the very Michelangelo, who was destined to live in the era of crisis and be the spokesman of the escalated contradictions. On the edges of the plafond are depicted thinkers, sages, prophets. They are full of strength and excitement. Many of them are immersed in meditation.
In 1520, Michelangelo began work on one of the greatest of his sculptural works – over the tomb of the Medici. This work expresses the tragic experiences that fell to the lot of Michelangelo during this period of his life.
In 1534 Michelangelo creates on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel a grandiose composition “The Last Judgment”, a work of anger and retribution.
The influence of Michelangelo on contemporary artists is huge. By the end of his life, he was in fact the head of the entire Roman school.
