Remembering Michelangelo

Considered by many Italians as the "father and master of all the arts" masses turned out at Santa Croce to pay tribute to Michelangelo when he died on this day in 1564. He lived a very long life, nearly ninety-years, which was unusual at the time. He worked hard, even to the end as a sculpture, and often considered painting as trivial in that it was not an art that would last. He had a financial relationship with the Catholic Church, of course, who paid him to paint the ceiling of the Sistine chapel. They attempted to control him, dictating what he would paint, so he'd paint various characters from the Vatican into his work, often in humiliating positions.

Some facts about the creators life:

1485: His father opposes his wish to become an artist.

1488: Apprenticed as an artist and learned to draw.

1489: Accepted to art academy, studied under various masters.

1492: Returned home and, with the help of a prior, dissected cadavers, which was forbidden by the church.

1494: Went to Bologna and was hired by the church to create sculptures. Began reading the greats: Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio.

1495: Returned to Florence.

1496: Went to Rome. Received first, minor commission by the Vatican based on a friendship with the cousin of the Pope.

1501: Was commissioned to sculpt David.

1503: The church gave him a permanent workshop.

1518: He bought a large home with the hope of restoring his lost, family fortunes.

1521: His contracts were canceled and he is poor.

1521: The new pope has no new contracts for the sculpture.

1530: the pontifical governor, Medici, ordered Michelangelo's assassination because of his various political stances.

1535: After establishing himself in Rome, and surviving tension with Medici, Michelangelo is commissioned to paint the Sistine Chapel.

1538: Meets Vittoria Colonna, marchioness of Pescara, a widow, who he greatly admires. Under her influence he adopts the doctrine of justification by faith alone, near to very liberal protestant ideas. he renews his religious beliefs.

1541: Encounters astonishment and scandal over his nude figures in the Sistine Chapel upon its unveiling.

1555: Michelangelo is denounced by the church as a Lutheran, and the offensive nudes in the Sistine Chapel are clothed.

1559: The new Pope, Pius IV embraces him and the arts and gives the creator various projects.

So this is the life of the great creator. Are we as bold? As devoted? As hard working? As fearless?

Remembering Michelangelo is a post from: Donald Miller's Blog