Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance, active in the 16th century. Born on March 6, 1475, in Caprese, Republic of Florence, Michelangelo is often considered one of the greatest artists of all time.
Michelangelo was born to a family of minor nobility in Caprese but spent most of his early life in Florence. His mother died when he was six, and he was placed with a stonecutter's family in the town of Settignano, where his father owned a small marble quarry. This environment sparked his early interest in sculpting. Michelangelo was apprenticed to the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio at the age of 13, where he learned the techniques of fresco and panel painting. However, his real passion was for sculpture, which led him to study the art of sculpting in the Medici gardens under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, known as Lorenzo the Magnificent.
Michelangelo's work in sculpture includes some of the most famous pieces in art history:
His most celebrated paintings are:
Although primarily known for his sculptural and painting works, Michelangelo also made significant contributions to architecture:
Michelangelo's later years were marked by a shift towards architecture and continued work on the tomb of Pope Julius II. He died in Rome on February 18, 1564, at the age of 88. His body was initially interred at the church of Santa Croce in Florence, where a monument in his honor was erected by Vasari.
Michelangelo's influence on Western art is profound. His ability to capture the human form with such realism and emotional depth set new standards for artistic expression. His work not only influenced his contemporaries but also inspired future generations of artists. His approach to art, emphasizing the ideal over the naturalistic, helped define the aesthetic of the Mannerism period that followed the Renaissance.
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