Michelangelo's most famous works
La Sistine Chapellocated in the Vatican Museums in Rome, is one of the most famous masterpieces of Renaissance art. Painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, the vault of the Sistine Chapel houses extraordinary frescoes telling biblical stories, including the famous Creation of Adam. This masterpiece not only represents an unprecedented artistic feat, but continues to amaze and inspire visitors from all over the world with its beauty and grandeur.
Here are the main frescoes that make up Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.
Sistine Chapel
La Sistine Chapellocated in the Vatican Museums, is probably one of Michelangelo's most famous and complex works. Although many remember him mainly as a sculptor, here he demonstrated extraordinary mastery as a painter. Michelangelo painted the vault between 1508 and 1512, under very difficult conditions: he worked for hours a day with his neck bent backwards, an enormous physical effort! Fun fact: Michelangelo initially did not want to take the job because he considered himself a sculptor, not a painter. However, Pope Julius II insisted, and the result is a timeless work.
The Chapel's vault is a visual narrative of the Genesis, which unfolds with epic scenes such as the Creation of the World, Adam and Eve and the Great Flood. The detail, composition and use of colours make this masterpiece an overwhelming visual experience. Be sure to look up and admire every little corner: Michelangelo's mastery is revealed in every brushstroke.
David
The Michelangelo's David is located at Academy Gallery. This marble statue over 5 metres high represents the young biblical king in all his power and beauty. Michelangelo sculpted the David from a block of marble that other artists had discarded because it was considered defective.
Did you know that it was originally intended to be placed on top of Florence Cathedral? But once it was completed, everyone realised it was too beautiful to be so high up, so they put it in Piazza della Signoria, in the centre of the city. Only later was it moved inside to protect it.
Vatican Pieta
Also preserved in the Vatican, the Vatican Pieta is a sculpture that Michelangelo created when he was only 24 years old. It depicts the Virgin Mary holding the body of Jesus deposed from the cross. This sculpture is prized for its anatomical perfection and expression of pain and tranquillity.
Project for St Peter's Dome
Michelangelo worked as architect for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and designed the dome that is one of his most significant architectural contributions. The dome is considered a masterpiece of engineering and architectural design.
Moisé
The sculpture of the Moisélocated in the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome, is a central work for the Tomb of Pope Julius II. Michelangelo depicted Moses with the tablets of the law and horns on his head, a symbol of wisdom and divinity.
Madonna of the Ladder
This sculpture, housed in the Museo dell'Accademia in Florence, was created by Michelangelo in his early years. Although not in Florence, it is often cited as an example of his early skill. The Madonna della Scala shows the Virgin Mary and Child in an elegantly simple composition.
Tondi Doni
If you go to the Uffizi, you cannot miss the Tondo Doni, one of the few tempera paintings on panel that Michelangelo made. It depicts the Holy Family, with a young John the Baptist in the background.
Curiosity: the original frame is still intact and was designed by Michelangelo himself! His unique style is immediately recognisable: the bodies are carved as if they were marble, an anticipation of his future sculptural works.
Medici Chapels
In the Basilica of San Lorenzo, find the Medici Chapelswhere Michelangelo worked as an architect and sculptor. Here he created the magnificent tombs of the Dukes of Urbino and Nemours, with the symbolic statues of the Night and the Dayand the Twilight and theAurora.
When Michelangelo sculpted the statue of Night, the Florentines admired it so much that a poet wrote a poem saying that Night seemed alive. Michelangelo, ever modest, replied that if Night could have spoken, he would surely have responded to those verses.
St Matthew
Finally, at the Academy Gallery, you can see the St Matthewan unfinished work that Michelangelo sculpted for the façade of Florence Cathedral. It is interesting to see how Michelangelo worked the marble: he sculpted the block as if he were releasing the figure trapped inside. The St. Matthew seems to emerge from the stone, as if halfway between the material and spiritual worlds.
Vatican Museums mon amour!
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