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Michelangelo

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was one of the most revolutionary artists of the Renaissance period which spanned across the 12th century to the 15th century.

He was born on March 6, 1475, in Caprese Michelangelo, Italy.

His family was of royalty but they were not very influential and hold much power. It’s unusual that Michelangelo was from an upper class because an artist was usually considered of the poor class. However, Michelangelo was a voluntary member of the profession which made him part of the working class, which made him an outsider of his own profession.

Michelangelo’s first teacher was Domenico Ghirlandaio who taught him how to paint, in both tempera and fresco. Although he later denied learning much from his teacher, the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling is clear evidence he learned his lessons well.

The first patrons of Michelangelo were the Medici family. The Medici had steered Florence’s political fortunes in the 15th century in an indirect rather than a direct fashion, via a broad network of political alliances, and through the lavish patronage of the arts. On the other hand, in the 16th century, the Medici increasingly opted to enforce their hegemony over economics quite openly and at times brutally. The potential conflict inherent in Michelangelo’s position was heightened by the fact that he took the first steps of his career as a sculptor under the protection of Lorenzo de Medici.

Michelangelo made his statues look more ancient so he could sell them at a higher price. The ancient look was suggested by Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici, a close friend of Michelangelo.

There are different opinions on how Michelangelo got famous. Some claim it was the result of his hard work while an author states it was the result of being the son of a nobleman and having the right connections. Regardless of their opinions, I think we can all agree that he was a great artist.

 

Written by: Sara Rebeca Palacios

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