(1475–1564). The Italian sculptor, painter, and architect Michelangelo is considered one of the greatest artists of all times. He lived during the Italian Renaissance, a period known for its achievements in science, literature, politics, and, most of all, in art. Michelangelo dominated the field of art, particularly in sculpture.

Early life

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was born on March 6, 1475. His birthplace, Caprese, was a small town near Florence, in central Italy. A few months after Michelangelo's birth, the family moved from Caprese to Florence. At that time, Florence was the center of artistic activity. It produced the best painters and sculptors in Europe.

Training as an artist

When Michelangelo was 13, he began an apprenticeship, or a period of training under a master. Michelangelo's master was Domenico Ghirlandajo, a leading painter in Florence. However, Michelangelo left the apprenticeship after a year. His talent brought him to the notice of Lorenzo de' Medici, the ruler of Florence.

Lorenzo surrounded himself with poets and scholars. Michelangelo may have benefited from their company. He was able to study the Medici art collection. He may also have received some instruction from the sculptor Bertoldo. The sculptor was a friend of the Medici family and looked after their art collection.

At that time Florence did not offer artists many work opportunities. Many of them moved to other cities. Moreover, in 1494 the Medici family was overthrown. This led to political disturbance in Florence. Michelangelo left for Bologna, a city north of Florence.

Brilliant sculpture

By 1496 Michelangelo was in Rome. In 1498 he was given the project of carving a pietà—an artwork that shows the Virgin Mary supporting the body of Jesus after his death. Michelangelo's Pietà is a large sculpture carved from one block of marble. It is now in St. Peter's Basilica, a cathedral in Rome. The sculpture made Michelangelo famous.

In 1501 Michelangelo returned to Florence for his second major project, to create a huge statue for the city. In 1504 Michelangelo completed David. It is the figure of a young man holding a slingshot. David was a king of ancient Israel who is said to have used only a slingshot to kill the giant Goliath. David is one of the world's greatest statues. It represents the Renaissance ideal of perfect humanity.

Middle years and the Sistine Chapel

In 1505 Michelangelo was called to Rome. He was to work on a giant tomb for Pope Julius II. The tomb was to have some 40 statues around it. However, the pope soon became disturbed by the cost of the project. Michelangelo left Rome, but the pope had him brought back.

Michelangelo was put to work painting the vaulted ceiling of the pope's own chapel, the Sistine Chapel in Rome (now in Vatican City). Michelangelo thought of himself as mainly a sculptor. He was not happy to begin the project. Between 1508 and 1512 Michelangelo covered the ceiling of the chapel with majestic frescoes, or paintings created on wet plaster. The main scenes show biblical stories and Hebrew prophets. Perhaps the best-known fresco shows God creating Adam.

Michelangelo worked perched on a platform about 60 feet (18 meters) above the floor. His paintings covered 10,000 square feet (930 square meters) of ceiling area. Most of the time he painted lying on his back. Each day fresh plaster was laid over a part of the ceiling. Michelangelo then had to complete that portion while the plaster was still wet. He could not undo mistakes.

After finishing the ceiling frescoes, Michelangelo returned to work on the tomb of Julius II. In about 1513–15, he carved Moses, an enormous marble statue of the Hebrew prophet.

Later years

In his later years Michelangelo was more involved with architecture, painting, and poetry than he was with sculpture. He designed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica and the Capitoline Square in Rome. These are now among Rome's most impressive sights. However, Michelangelo did not live to see them completed.

Michelangelo died on February 18, 1564, in Rome. He was buried in the church of Santa Croce in Florence.