Monique Sharp Art Appreciation 1030 J01

Michelangelo

The subject of this paper is about the Italian artist Michelangelo and his work. He is one of the greatest artists of all time. Michelangelo created most of his work during the Renaissance era. He was known as the Renaissance man because his art work showed freedom of thought. Michelangelo was a painter, sculptor, and an architect. For his sculptures he used very shiny marble. For his paintings he used fresco and oil paint. His most known art works are the statue of David and the Creation of Adam. Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475 in the village of Caprese, Italy. After his mothers death he moved to Florence, Italy with his father. At the age of 13 he began his apprenticeship with the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. With Bertoldo di Giovanni is where he learned how to do sculptures. While in Florence he became familiar with classical antiquity. This is the age of ancient history dominated by the cultures of Greece and Rome. Learning about classical antiquity really influenced Michelangelos work. Even though he loved doing sculptures he was asked to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Pope Julius II asked if Michelangelo would paint the ceiling with different stories from the Old Testament in the bible. At first he refused to do it but later he changed his mind. In May of 1508 he started preparing his designs for the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo started painting the ceiling in the fall of 1508. It took two to three weeks for him to paint the Creation of Adam. Out of all his work the Creation of Adam is his most known work. This fresco is only one section on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. We have all seen only a portion of the actual fresco. The only part we have seen is just the arms and hands of Adam and God. In the fresco we get to see the full bodies of Adam and God. Adam is portrayed as the ideal young man based on the Greek and Rome prototypes. In the painting Adam is physically alive but Michelangelo shows the moment when God gives Adam his spirit and soul. Gods right arm reaches out to Adam to give him life. While Adams left arm mirrors the pose. Some people believe that the backdrop looks like a human brain. When you look at it real you close you can actually see it. Gods left arm reaches around a female who could possibly be eve.

Monique Sharp Art Appreciation 1030 J01

To create the fresco Michelangelo used the fresco painting technique. This technique requires the artist to paint on wet surfaces. It was originated in Rome. So it makes sense that Michelangelo would use this technique. He painted on the plaster using a wash technique to apply areas of color. When the surface became dry he would add shade and detail with different brushes. For textured surfaces he would use a broad brush with bristles that was thin like a comb. Michelangelo used soft lines when he painted which made the fresco look realistic. Why is Michelangelo notable? Before painting the Sistine Chapel he was busy making sculptures and paintings. He painted many frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. The Creation of Adam is the most known out of all this work. He was mysterious because he didnt like showing his drawings to outsiders prior to painting or doing his sculptures. In conclusion, would he still be known as the greatest artist of all time if he didnt paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? The answer to that is yes he would be. He has created many other great art works. In the writers opinion his different frescoes and sculptures are very interesting. You can learn a lot from his paintings because they each tell a story. The Creation of Adam made the writer curious. Something about the painting made the writer want to know more about it. After doing the research the writer understand the painting better.

Monique Sharp Art Appreciation 1030 J01

Bibliography
Michelangelo. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.michelangelo.com/buon/bio-index2.html Michelangelo Buonarroti. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.artbible.info/art/biography/michelangelobuonarroti Chapin-McGill, G. (n.d.). The Fresco Painting Technique. Retrieved 2011, from http://www.ehow.com/way_5194346_fresco-painting-technique.html The Creation of Adam. (n.d.). Retrieved 2011, from http://www.arthistoryguide.com/The_Creation_of_Adam.aspx