Michelangelo

            Michelangelo, an Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet, lived from 1475 to 1564. Michelangelo was a member of a well-known Florentine family, born near a small city known as Arezzo. His education came to a stop at the young age of 13, when he began to receive tutoring form two artists named Domancio and Bertoldo di Giovanni. Michelangelo was constantly in the presence of art. These experiences gave Michelangelo a true sense of art. His tutor Giovanni, was employed by the Medici family. From 1490 to 1492 Michelangelo lived with the family while learning from philosophers such as Ficino, Landino, Poliziano, and Savonarola. Although Michelangelo claimed to be self-taught, one might recognize the influence of artists like Leonardo, Giotto, and Poliziano. He did not learn as much from the tutoring as he did from observation. Michelangelo was perceived as an extremely sensitive person with energetic talent. Michelangelo's paintings and sculptures showed humanity in its natural state. Michelangelo is often referred to as the most famous artist of western civilization, and a supreme Renaissance artist. .
             Michelangelo contributed many of his statues to great kings and queens of his time. Michelangelo's true love began in sculpture. Michelangelo's sculptures define a sensitivity to mass and chunks of marble. His earliest sculptures were made in the garden of the Medici family, near the church of San Lorenzo. These were very classical sculptures, named Bacchus and Sleeping Cupid. Bacchus, the God of Wine was an over-life size sculpture, and was one of his most famous works. Another sculpture, Pieta, places the body of Christ in his mothers lap the Virgin Mary. She sits majestically holding her son, showing restraint and an expression of resignation. Michelangelo has expressed sadness in the gaze of Mary's eyes. Pieta is a colossal piece carved in marble, still in its original place, Saint Peters Basilica.