Category: Michelangelo

Understanding different developments and the timeframes in which they existed can empower an individual to more promptly recognize the more unpretentious subtleties of workmanship and the importance behind them. Workmanship thankfulness ought to be unique and interesting. One ought not to depend on the investigation or assessment of others while shaping their own viewpoint on a given piece. Thus, one ought not to feel as if one needs a supposition on each bit of craftsmanship one sees. A certifiable sentiment, regardless of whether that assessment isn’t having one, is a more precise exhibit of craftsmanship and gratefulness than driving a feeling where one doesn’t exist. Craftsmanship thankfulness requires some investment and practice to create. There are various components of a bit of workmanship to contemplate, extending from structure and material to verifiable setting to the procedure utilized by the craftsman. As one bit by bit becomes familiar with these different ideas, one can exhibit more prominent gratefulness for some random bit of craftsmanship.

After the time of Medieval times was known as the Renaissance which alluded to ‘resurrection.’ The impact of an established topic is obvious in the quantities of nudes and legendary figures in Renaissance workmanship. Amid this time of workmanship, even those with traditional subjects, frequently have a Christian message. The Renaissance denoted a time of interest in training and the normal world. Humanism ended up Persuasive as a philosophical way to deal with life that focused on individuals’ scholarly and physical potential to make individual progress and add to the improvement of society. Following the recharged interests in the established past and the impact of the humanist idea, Italian craftsmen amid the early Renaissance were engrossed with making pictures that their watchers would discover totally convincing. In any case, the truth was adjusted by the perfect, particularly when the subjects were fanciful or religious. Craftsmen amid the Renaissance depicted the glorified naked figure as the encapsulation of profound and scholarly flawlessness.

Towards the finish of the Medieval times, individuals like Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Durer, and Michelangelo have all been recognized as extraordinary pioneers of the Italian Renaissance; they each conveyed something one of a kind and incredibly astounding to the workmanship world. Specifically, Michelangelo brought his very own style and system into the open eye and changed the Renaissance with his creativity. The workmanship world was changed during the 1500s when Michelangelo lived. The medieval, Gothic styles that had taken over in the occasions before were cleaned away and supplanted with perplexing structures and old-world techniques that depicted the excellence of human life and achievement. Michelangelo stays significant today as a result of the excellence of his manifestations and, as critically, for the social, political, and religious settings in which he worked. The Renaissance period was illuminating, yet additionally risky, the intensity of the congregation’s overall features of society amid those years. That Michelangelo succeeded, regardless of periodic clashes with his amazing, religious managers, in crossing over the gap between philosophical universality and devotion to the authoritative forces that remain an accomplishment of huge greatness. His systems adjusted the craftsman’s technique for quite a long time, and still influence new workmanship today. His techniques changed the craftsman’s perspective, and many are still being used today.

Michelangelo was conceived on a sixth of Spring in 1475 and kicked the bucket on the eighteenth of February in 1564. He experienced childhood in Tuscany and went through the majority of his time on earth in Rome, where he filled in as a craftsman for seven popes thus. He was almost ninety when he passed on, he survived a time of tremendous chronicled change and disturbance in Florence, Italy, and Europe, in each field of human undertaking from governmental issues, financial matters, and innovation to writing, language, and music, religion, and craftsmanship. He was molded by his age, and in workmanship, he was one of the incomparable shapers of the age. As a result of his dad’s tedious activity, he lived with a stonecutter and his significant other and family after his mom kicked the bucket. He went through various years with the family, in the wake of leaving saying ‘If there is some great in me, it is on the grounds that I was conceived in the unpretentious environment of your nation of Arezzo. Alongside the milk of my medical attendant, I got the talent of dealing with etching and mallet, with which I make my figures.’ He figured out how to deal with marble with an etch and sled amid his time with the family, an ability that would demonstrate most fundamental in his later years. He was sent by his dad to consider language structure with the humanist Francesco da Urbino however demonstrated no enthusiasm for tutoring, rather, he concentrated on replicating the works of art in the congregation and looking for the organization of different craftsmen. At the youthful age of thirteen, Michelangelo’s dad saw his ability in the imaginative field and he was sent off as a student to the craftsman Dominico Ghirlandaio. His expertise, nonetheless, before long surpassed that of his instructor and he was welcome to the amazing Medici family’s Humanist Institute. He contemplated mold under Bertoldo di Giovanni. The masterful perspective he shaped at the institute would move extraordinary savants like Ficino, Mirandola, and Poliziano in their compositions.

Like most extraordinary craftsmen, Michelangelo’s work wasn’t viewed as very as it is present during the 1500s. Individuals mentioned figures and sketches, some as expansive as The David and the roof of the Sistine Sanctuary, and some as little as a little representation of a family tomb. He saw what he needed in a clear canvas or section of marble and could expertly reproduce what he imagined. Michelangelo touched base in Rome in 1469 at the age of twenty-one. There, a large portion of his most well-known works of art was made: Pieta was done in 1499, the David in 1501, and the Sistine Sanctuary’s roof was finished in 1512. The Medici returned to Michelangelo at some point later, requesting that he make a funerary house of prayer in the Basilica of San Lorenzo. This venture took the greater part of the 30s. His last work in Rome was the fresco of The Last Judgment. It traverses the whole divider behind the Sistine Chapel’s altar. Michelangelo’s greatest achievement was his astounding ability to chisel similar figures with marble. It was something that had never been done, in any event not all that expertly. Prior to his works, marble was utilized for little, basic pieces, yet after he handled goliath ventures like the David, the entryway of marble chiseling started to open to the craftsmanship network.

Michelangelo’s changing creative procedures modified the craftsman’s strategy for a considerable length of time, and still influence how workmanship is made today. His view on the world and its pioneers was reflected in his fine art and enlivened scholars and later specialists. It changed the manner in which craftsmen depict their subjects and how striking they enabled their fine art to be. Michelangelo will dependably be notable as a standout amongst the most persuasive specialists the world has ever known.

Abstract

In the center of Florence at Piazza della Signoria, stands one of the most iconic sculptures from the Renaissance, Michelangelo’s David. Daily looked upon by hundreds of tourists, its sheer size and beauty make it not noticeable. Although the one standing at the Piazza is a copy, the original statue can be found at Galleria dell’Accademia Firenze where it was relocated in 1873. While it is today seen as a tourist attraction, it had a deep political value during the Renaissance. At the beginning of the 15th century, it was commissioned among several other statues that were used to establish the Republic as the new ruler of Florence. After exiling the former rulers known as the Medici, the Republic was seeking ways to undermine its reputation while promoting its own.

The intentions behind the work were to make it into a symbol of the new protector of the state, showing power and wealth. The statue, therefore, held a political meaning, which we can conclude by its very location and the interpretation of its biblical story. Compared to contemporary versions of the young hero, Michelangelo’s David distinguishes itself and presents a new naturalistic side.

Renaissance Florence and the commission of David

The Renaissance was a period that took place between the 14th and 17th centuries in which Europe transitioned from the Middle Ages to modernity. After a long period where few advances within science and art were made, humanism began to take root at the beginning of the 14th century. This cultural movement believed that man was the center of the universe and ideas from ancient Rome and Greek was reborn within art, politics, science, and economics that spread across Europe.1

During the Renaissance time, the city of Florence became the center for innovation and art.2 Due to its banking and wool trading, the city had grown into one of prosperity and a rich culture. Buildings and art were commissioned by the state to show off its wealth to citizens and visitors alike. In 1501 the committee, which oversaw all the work done for the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore commonly known as the Duomo, had several statues be made of prophets from the Old Testament. The group of statues was to be placed on the balcony of the cathedral to show the city’s greatness and devotion to art.3

There was another motive behind the commissioning; the state wanted to demonstrate its power as the ruler. Since the 13th century, Florence had been a republic ruled by the city elite, a small group of wealthy and powerful families. Although they were the only ones with the privilege of holding office, legislation prevented a single family from taking the power. Despite this, the Medici family was able to establish themselves as the city’s unofficial rulers. They had built their wealth through banking and used this asset as well as their influence over the Pope due to them being the official bankers of the Vatican state, to gain power. An important part of their strategy was the commissioning of art, which gained them the favor of the people. During the time of Lorenzo de Medici, the family held great power over the government, while supporting the appearance of a Republic. When Lorenzo’s son Piero became head of the family, he undermined the government by making his own political decisions, therefore shattering the fiction of them being indifferent to their influence. As a result, they were exiled from Florence. With the Medici gone, the state of Florence was in need of a new ruler. The Republic seized this opportunity to make itself appear as the new protector of the city. Just as the Medici had used art to gain influence, the government sought to do the same by commissioning art as a visual tool for propaganda. As not everyone had the skill to read, art was a way of communicating political ideas without words. Amongst the commissions made were the statues meant for the Duomo.4

One of the prophets created for the Cathedral was David and the commissioning was given to Michelangelo. Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in 1475 in a village outside of Florence called Caprese. At the age of 12, Michelangelo was sent to Florence to be an apprentice for Domenico Ghirlandaio, a successful and respected painter within the Florentine society. Later he was seen working in the Medici gardens by order of Lorenzo the Magnificent himself amongst other known artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli. After spending several years in Rome, the now 26-year-old artist sought after the commission for David to be able to show his talent.5

During his stay in Rome, he had become a known artist after he made La Pietà for the Vatican in 1499.6 He was therefore chosen to sculpt David with a given timeframe of one and a half years for the completion. The Opera del Duomo provided him with the material as well as a total salary of 300 florins. They agreed that further compensation might be given after completion of the work if the statute was satisfactory. During their work progress, Michelangelo keeps an air of mystery around his work by having walls built around the marble block to keep prying eyes away. He is said to have been restless and persistent in his work on the David and in the end, he was paid 400 florins which were considered a generous amount of money at the time. In the two years given, Michelangelo had created a masterpiece beyond expectations.7

Its political value and placement

The statues of the prophets were meant to be placed on the balcony of the Cathedral to be viewed from the street by the public crowd. By the completion of David, the commissioner was amazed by its beauty and sought to find a new placement for the statue that would better suit its artistic value but also its political subjects.8

As the statue was a symbol of the renewed Republic and how they had taken the power from the Medici, they needed a political strategic location for the statue. In 1504 a meeting between representatives from the government and the Opera was held to agree on the location for David. The political and artistic significance of this statue had known artists such as Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Filippino Lippi attended the meeting as well. Amongst the ones who wanted the statue to be seen as an anti-Medici symbol, there were arguments on having David take Judith’s place outside of the city hall. The sculpture of Judith and Holofernes made by Donatello was commissioned by the Medici family and was therefore a symbol of their wealth and power. As it was located outside of the city hall, it was seen as if the Medici still held power over the government, which the Republic found unfitting.9 Many other locations were suggested through the meeting such as in front of the Duomo, by Piazza San Giovanni, or the courtyard of the Signoria.

In the end, it was settled that David would be placed on the platform in front of the city hall at Piazza della Signoria right by the entrance. There it could be admired as an example of Florentine craftsmanship, whilst mediating its political statement. Standing right outside the heart of Florence’s political quarters, it showed the Republic’s power and wealth while undermining that of the Biblical story and comparison to similar work

The story of David comes from the Old Testament and tells about how a young shepherd defends his country by slaying the giant Goliath. Set in a time of war between Israel and the Philistines, the warrior Goliath challenged Israel to send their greatest champion to defeat him but none dare face the giant. Instead, the simple but brave shepherd David goes up against the giant with only his sling and stones. He hits Goliath’s head with a stone and then cuts off his head using the giant’s own sword. The Philistines admit defeat and David becomes a hero.11

David is therefore not only a war hero but also a symbol of bravery. The story can be interpreted as the weaker defeating the colossal with the help of God. When David was commissioned, it is not unlikely that he was meant as a symbol of the Republics’ victory over the Medici. Since they held the role of a powerful and strong enemy in the eyes of the Republic, their exile can be interpreted as the government’s victory over them just as David’s victory over Goliath. David, therefore, has political value as a symbol of the Republic’s power.12

The subject of David and his victory over Goliath was popular during the Renaissance. Most artists portrayed him as the biblical story of a young hero standing with Goliath’s head and sword as symbols of victory over the giant. Both Verrocchio’s David made in 1470 and Donatello’s marble David made in 1409 follows this concept. They are both dressed like a Roman soldier with proud postures and confident looks. Around 1440, Donatello made a bronze statue of David that derives from his earlier one. Due to the influence of antique sculptures, this David was made in the nude.

He is portrayed as a young boy standing with the giant’s sword but in a less self-confident pose and with an almost uncertain expression. It was one of the first sculptures made in the round, which means that the statue had a back. At the time, most sculptures were intended only to be seen from the front, which meant that they didn’t need a back.13

Just like Donatello, Michelangelo sculpted a nude David in the round as it was meant to be seen from different angles. The proportions are adapted to its original placement high up on the Cathedral where it would be viewed from below. Michelangelo had a fascination for the human body and studied it by dissecting corpses. He used this knowledge when sculpting, which can be observed through David’s natural posture and detailed muscles. While the subjects of David were nothing new, Michelangelo’s way of portraying him was a big contrast compared to that of Verrocchio and Donatello. While they captured David after his battle with Goliath, standing with the sword and head as in victory, Michelangelo’s portrayed his David right before the battle. In his hand, he holds a rock while the sling rest on his shoulder, the objects used to slay the giant. His expression is concerned yet determined, as he has not yet defeated his enemy. This less self-confident and more worried David does not only diverge from the other sculptures of the hero but also the biblical one. In the story, the young shepherd is described as brave and almost arrogant. This new side of David, which Michelangelo portrays, makes him more humanistic. We are presented with a brave boy who is about to face a much greater and more powerful opponent and therefore shows a hint of doubt. It is unclear if this was the version of David that the commissioner had in mind but it is one of the reasons for its beauty.1415

Conclusion

Michelangelo’s David is unlike any other statue during its time. After understanding its pre-historic context and the political climate at the time, we can come to the conclusion that there was a strong political influence over the commissioning of this statue. As the renewed Republic had the intention of establishing themselves as the new rulers with the Medici gone, art became part of their program for political propaganda to strengthen their influence and reputation.

David was the symbol of the government’s power and was therefore placed in the heart of Florence, right outside the City hall to demonstrate the Republics’ strength and victory. Compared to similar works of Donatello and Verrocchio, this David has a whole new dimension to its character and does not only show a new scene from the story, but a new humanistic side of the hero. He is portrayed before his victory over the giant rather than after like the other statues and therefore lacks the classic biblical element such as the giant’s head and sword. His concentrated and tensed expression and posture are subject to interpretation and amazement even today. While the motive behind the commissioning of David was for it to be used in advertising the state’s political agenda, they probably did not know how big of an impact this statue would resonate.

Standing today in the Accademia, I feel myself admiring it amongst many other tourists, who, like myself, are amazed by its very size and beauty but unaffected by its political tension. While it is still a symbol for Florence, its political value has diminished with time and today it has a cultural value rather than a political one. David will always be a symbol beyond its beauty.

Bibliography:

1. Hartt, F. G. Wilkins, D (1969) History of Italian Renaissance Art (7th edition). Pearson
2. Levine, S. (1974) The Location of Michelangelo’s David: The Meeting of January 25, 1504(Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 31-49). New York, College Art Association
3. Paoletti, J.T. (2015). Michelangelo’s David: Florentine History and Civic Identity (upplaga). Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

Websites:

1. https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/renaissance
2. https://www.khanacademy.org/
3. https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng
4. https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/renaissance
5. https://www.khanacademy.org/
6. https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng

Mathematics is the science of pattern and structure, order and relation; evolved from the elemental practices of counting, measuring, and describing the shape of objects. It is fundamental to physical and biological sciences; essentially anything to do with equations and calculations is categorized under mathematics. The Renaissance saw the advancement of symbolic algebra. In his “Artem Analyticem Isagoge” of 1591, François Viéte took the ideas of Ancient Greeks Euclid, Diophantus, and Pappus and sought to explain and clarify them through systematic algebraic notation. In doing so he could explain the concepts of analysis and synthesis.

The use of mathematics has always been paired with architecture, with architects using geometry to define the spatial form of a building; from the Pythagoreans of the sixth century BC onwards, to create forms considered harmonious, and thus to lay out buildings and their surroundings according to mathematical, aesthetic and sometimes religious principles; to decorate buildings with mathematical objects such as tessellations; and to meet environmental goals, such as to minimize wind speeds around the bases of tall buildings.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella was the first great basilica built in Florence and one of the most well-known examples of early Renaissance architecture. The marble façade was created by Leon Battista Alberti who combined the ideals of humanist architecture with proportion and classically inspired detailing. “Its dimensions are all bound to each other by the 1:2 ratio of the musical Octave. The marble panels, which produce a mosaic like the effect of discrete color patches on medieval Italian church exteriors… here contribute to a sense of rhythmic, geometric unity…’

The Renaissance period seemingly culminated in a continent that was educated, experienced and prepared for the future. With a strong emphasis on Geometry, which relied on buildings, windows, and doors in square and rectangular shapes. Proportion, as balance was critical in the renaissance, and elements of the structure needed to be designed in proportion to other elements of the building. Symmetry relied on the use of geometric figures and clean lines. The regularity means that there is a little about the Renaissance style that is random or impulsive. A building must have recurring themes and elements. To accomplish these design goals, the Renaissance style employs many recurring elements, including Columns, Pilasters, Lintels, Arches and arcades, Domes, Symmetrical windows and doors, and finally Niches with sculptures. Each of these elements is used in proportion and with much attention given to order and balance.

Saint Peters Basilica is one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture, having been worked on by seven people crucial to the development of the Renaissance style. Michelangelo, the great artist, and architect are today considered one of the principal contributors to the design of the basilica. He decided to go with the “Greek cross” scheme and retain the grand dome element. The dome which Michelangelo built is the largest in diameter, spanning 42 meters across. This is one part of the rivalry between Italian cities of the Renaissance, where Michelangelo and his contemporaries wanted to outdo the great achievement of Filippo Brunelleschi. Brunelleschi was considered the critical founding figure of Renaissance architecture, and he was the first to accomplish building a grandiose dome since times of antiquity – his legacy is the grand cathedral of Florence, with the famed “Brunelleschi dome”.

Michelangelo’s work has been the subject of criticism from experts and art admirers all over the world. As one of the most celebrated artists of his time, he produced hundreds of works most of which are existent to date and as such it will be very difficult and almost impossible to analyze all his work in one sitting. This essay identifies two of his most popular works and isolates them for review.

First is the sculpture titled, The Pieta which the artist got frustrated with and destroyed, though it was later reconstructed (Wallace 233). The second piece of artwork is the sculpture of David as he attacks Goliath. In the essay, a detailed analysis of the Pieta shall be given particularly criticizing an error that Michelangelo had made in the design of the sculpture. In the second part, a brief review of the sculpture of David shall be provided as well as a comparison of the sculpture with a similar one by his peer, Lorenzo Bernini.

The Pieta (1498-1499)

This is a marble sculpture located in the St. Peter’s Basilica in Italy (Jameson 37). It was the first commissioning of a number of artworks by the same theme that Michelangelo did. The statue was paid for by a French cardinal in Rome called Jean de Billheres. The statue had initially been intended to be used as the funeral monument for the cardinal but was moved relocated to the position where it currently rests.This famous piece of art shows the limp body of Jesus laying in the arms of Mary, his mother after being unhooked from the cross.

This piece of artwork has been the subject of constant criticism based on its improper proportions. Unlike other Michelangelo’s figures which have strong and robust limbs, the pietta presents Jesus with disproportionate and fragile lower extremities. He (Michelangelo) heavily exaggerated the dimensions of the limbs, as well their complexity in an effort to present an appreciable beauty.

Exaggerated strength and stability has come to be noticed as the hallmark of Michalengelo’s style-this is the impression that people get when they hear the name Michelangelo (Crawford 319). The Pieta can easily be identified as Michelangelo’s work based on the strength and robustness of the arms (Schiller, 179).

The most clearly discernable mistake which Michelangelo made on this piece is in the folded leg of the man. He made it so small and without any strength to the extent that it disappoints the viewer. This leg looks like that of an old man and makes Jesus look almost paralyzed.

At the time Michelangelo did the sculpture he was very old and his body had withered. This has led to the fronting of the argument that Michelangelo could have used his own body as a model for his work. Most critics cannot understand the lapse of aesthetic judgment that befell Michelangelo as he did the sculpture. The leg is also folded at a very unrealistic acute angle. It has always been known that curves are the elements of beauty.

Of course, some angles cannot be avoided but of all Michelangelo’s sculptures the Pieta is the only one that has such a profound under-looking in structure. This leg has also been described as offensive to the principles of composition by some analysts and critics because it does not appear to offer support the general weight of Jesus’ body. The sculpture is on average top-heavy with all the attention of the sculptural group being congregated in the region four feet from the surface of the ground.

The base of any good sculpture must have some sort of structure to take care of the weigh of the piece. This base has to handle the force of gravity generated by the material used to design the structure as well as account for the fictional gravity presented in the composition. In the Pieta, fictional gravity has been taken care of effectively in a number of ways.

Nicodemus has been positioned in such a manner that he appears to hold up the body of Christ. This body also rests slightly on Mary’s (Jesus’ mother) lap. Mary Magdalene in her positioning to the right of offers the impression that she is there to offer support to the body of Jesus should it fall her way (Schiller, 180). Unfortunately, there is no weight that has been allocated to the right folded leg.

As far as the real gravity is concerned, the only support that can be identified is the crooked leg. This is very unconvincing and from the composition, Christ’s body is falling off Mary’s lap so it is very difficult for one to believe that Nicodemus is the one offering all the support against gravity.

Michelangelo has given very many reasons for destroying the sculpture but unfortunately he never gave the unconvincing leg as one of them. As artists, it isdisappointing that we have to believe that one of the master artists who the world looks upto could approve such a mistake.

The sculpture of David

In the sculpture of David by Michelangelo, he (David) is portrayed on one part as the ideal man, and as an adolescent youth in the other part. Unlike his predecessors who depicted David with the macabre head of the slain giant under his foot (Nordlander 2967). Michelangelo sculpts David in the instance that he is just facing the giant before the attack. It is almost as if he believed that this was David’s moment of unchallenged courage.

The sculpture is based on a drawing of the masculine human figure and has one leg receiving the whole weight of the sculpture alongside gravitational forces while the other leg rest a few inches infront. One hand holds the sling to the back of the figure while the other hand rests on the side. The head and torso are slightly larger than the proportions of other elements within the lower body.

Comparison between Michelangelo’s David and the one done by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Michelangelo’s David is a clear representation of the average sculpture from the Renaissance period. It does not necessarily show any creativity in the sense that it is an almost exact representation of the real person and scene-it is just a portrait sculpture. In Roman copies of ancient Greek statues, some sort of structural support has to be provided for the sculpture and this one by Michelangelo is no different.

The sculpture of David is presented in contrapposto, with some sort of tension and watchfulness in his face. Michelangelo gave this sculpture an almost child like face clear of any emotion. He (Michelangelo) showed movement in only one arm of the sculpture and some little motion in the turning of the head.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini on his part created a dramatic representation of the hero. He not only shows the anger that is boiling within him (David) but also provides the insinuation that he is ready to confront the danger that is ahead of him. In the sculpture, David is on the attack with a loaded sling on his hand.

The muscles on his upper arms are tense and an almost mocking grimace is shown on the face. Unlike Michelangelo’s work, the sculpture of David by Bernini looks exactly his age, and has some little clothing on; Michelangelo’s David is totally naked. Bernini took time to show movement in the head, the arm and the torso while doing the sculpture.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that Michelangelo may well be the most celebrated artist of the 17^th century. This is probably why any small mistake in his artwork cannot go unnoticed as has been illustrated by the analysis of the Pieta above. Many of his peers also went ahead to try and do similar work to his; for example, Bernini’s imitation of the sculpture of David.

However, history has gone to prove that his (Michelangelo’s) work could not be duplicated as Bernini’s David, though arguably superior to Michelangelo’s has never attracted much audience. Finally, as has been revealed in this paper analyzing a great artist’s work will take more than a few pages and that convincing the entire world to have a particular point of view as regards the work of a master artist is impossible.

Works Cited

Crawford, Francis. Ave Roma immortalis: studies from the chronicles of Rome. United States: Macmillan Co., 1899. Print.

Jameson, Anna. Legends of the Madonna: as represented in the fine arts. United States: Kessinger Publishing, 2006. Print.

Nordlander, Brage. “Michelangelo’s David has a squint.” Medline 102.41. (2005): 2967.

Print Schiller, Gertrud. Iconography of Christian Art. London: Lund Humphries, 1972. Print.

Wallace, William. Michelangelo, Life and Early Works: Selected Scholarship in English.
United Kingdom: Garland, 1995. Print.

Introduction

The Italian art of the Renaissance represents the invaluable contribution to the heritage of the world culture and art. The paintings of the Italian artists of that period are on permanent display in the world’s largest museums representing the outstanding works of classic art. The Creation of Adam is one of the famous frescos by Michelangelo Buonarotti, the Italian artist of the epoch of Renaissance.

The aim of this essay is to analyze Michelangelo’s fresco the Creation of Adam which is a part of the decoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

The Epoch of the Renaissance in Italy

Michelangelo’s works belong to the period of Renaissance in art and the time of Medici rule in Italy. Goldscheide & Buonarroti (1951) claim that “under the patronage of the Medici and other merchant families, art in Florence had assumed an elegant, sophisticated character, pleasingly reminiscent of the antique, familiar and decorative — it became, in fact, an art of interior decoration” (p.13).

At that period the rapid development of art was accompanied by the opening of art workshops across the country and engaging young artists in assist the masters. Moreover, the long traditions of the visual art in Italy led to the formation of dynasties in this field when the artists techniques were passed from the father to son. Cole (1987) states that “art into art, the development of one artist’s work from that of another was the major characteristic of Renaissance style” (p.21).

The Sistine Chapel Frescos

The Sistine Chapel itself represents the architecture structure of the period of Renaissance. Its construction was initiated by Pope Sixtus IV in the beginning of the XVI century. Seymour (1972) states that “Sixtus built a new papal Chapel strong as a fortress, had its interior painted, and gave it the name it has borne in history: the Sistine” (p. 69).

Undoubtedly, the Sistine Chapel is famous not only for its historical and architectural value but rather by the frescos by Michelangelo. The Vatican signed the contract with Michelangelo to entrust him the decoration of the new Chapel.

Together with the assistants the artists worked on the four frescos of the Chapel ceiling. Buonarotti (1940) explains that “frescopainting (fresco buono) is painting on damp lime wash” (p.16).

Michelangelo’s works and the Creation of Adam

The Creation of Adam, one of the frescos, depicts God giving his hand to Adam as though he gives him the life at that moment. It should be noted that although God and Adam are two key figures in the fresco, they are presented on the right and on the left sides of the composition respectively. In the centre of the fresco, we can see their hands. In this way, Michelangelo focuses our attention on the symbolic meaning of his work: the hand of God representing his strength and omnipotence as well as Adam’s hand representing the weakness and insignificance of the man to God.

God is depicted by the artists as the old man with grey hair. By his side we can see a woman figure. The critics of the Italian art still argue over who is actually represented. Some of them claim that it is the image if Eve and another ones say that it is the image of Virgin Mary.

Michelangelo thoroughly worked over the anatomy of human body showing its beauty and strength. (Berenson 1953) The artists embodied all of it in the figures of the fresco.

It should be said that Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam is one of the masterpieces of the world art depicting the Bible scene of creation of the first man on the Earth. The composition of the fresco has a symbolic background concentrating our attention on the hands of God and Adam, one representing the force giving the life and the other one representing the need of getting the impulse to life.

Conclusion

To sum up all above mentioned, it should be said that the Creation of Adam is the outstanding work of the epoch of Renaissance in Italy. It is a part of the four frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel depicting the Bible scenes. The thorough depiction of the figures and the majesty of their images make the unforgettable impression on the visitors of the Chapel.

References

Berenson, B. (1953). The Italian Painters of the Renaissance. New York, USA: Phaidon Publishers.

Buonarroti, M. (1940). The Paintings of Michelangelo. New York, USA: Oxford University Press.

Cole, B. (1987). Italian Art, 1250-1550: The Relation of Renaissance Art to Life and Society. New York, USA: Harper & Row.

Goldscheider, L., & Buonarroti, M. (1951). Michelangelo Drawings. London, the United Kingdom: Phaidon Press.

Seymour, Ch. Jr. (1972). Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel Ceiling: Illustrations, Introductory Essays, Backgrounds and Sources, Critical Essays. New York, USA: W. W. Norton.

Background information of the artist

Michelangelo Buonarroti Simoni was an Italian sculptor, an architect, a poet, a painter, and an engineer who had a massive impact on Western arts developments in the 16^th century. He was born in 1475 in Caprese, but both parents were from Florence where he was raised as a child (Müntz, 2011). His interest in arts, especially as a sculptor was developed after the death of his mother when he was only six years.

He went to live with a stonecutter in the town of Settignano near his father’s marble quarry. He was taken to school in Florence but he had no interest in schooling, preferring to develop his skills in art. Upon realizing his skills, the town council helped him advance his career because art was very popular during this period. He became a renowned apprentice at only thirteen years.

His works has been considered as some of the best pieces of sculptures even in the contemporary society. He also made a massive contribution in the field of painting, architecture, and poetry. Given the prevailing political condition during that time, he used his skills to pass political messages to the people of Florence, his hometown. He died in 1564 at the age of 88 years.

David’s sculpture

Michelangelo’s David sculpture is one of his most popular sculptures not only during those early times, but also today. During that time, most of the artists would curve the sculpture of David standing over Goliath. This was an easier way of making the sculpture understandable to the audience. However, Michelangelo had a different idea when he developed David’s sculpture. The figure below shows Michelangelo’s David sculpture.

Source (Castex, 2008)

As demonstrated in this sculpture, it is difficult for one to guess that this is David’s sculpture. The sculpture would pass as of any handsome young man. It would be interesting to know why he chose this approach.

According to Castex (2008), for one to understand the reason why Michelangelo chose to sculpture David in this manner, it would be important to understand the prevailing political environment in Florence and the message that he was passing across to his audience. During this time, empires that were more powerful surrounded City of Florence, the hometown of Michelangelo.

People of this city feared a possible attack from any of the neighboring cities, which were perceived as stronger than Florence. The sculpture of David was erected at the center of this city, purposely to pass a message. Other artists preferred to give a sculpture of David in a different way.

Michelangelo had a different idea. He sculptured David before the fight. In his sculpture, David is seen as a young warrior who has a strong will to fight despite the obvious physical strength of the enemy. This was meant to assure people of Florence city that despite the apparent strength of the enemies, this city had the capacity to win as long as it had the willpower.

The sculpture also emphasized on tact other than physical strength as a way of winning a battle. Notice that David in this sculpture held his weapon (the sling) in a manner that the enemies could not detect that he was armed. This made the enemy underrate his capacity, a fact that must have facilitated David’s victory. It is also important to notice the kind of confidence in the face of David in this sculpture.

Müntz (2011) says that the sculpture portrays David as a young worrier who is calm despite the danger he is facing by fighting Goliath. The face of Michelangelo portrays no form of fear or worries despite the danger he is facing. This was a message to the seemingly weaker forces of Florence City that they had the capacity to win any battle in case the outside forces attacked them.

Michelangelo’s creation of Adam painting

The creation of Adam is another masterpiece painting done by Michelangelo as one of the many works of art he did during his career. This piece of art has received massive attention in the world over, both in the past and in the current society. Although Michelangelo did not consider himself much of a painter, this painting has been considered as one of the best during his time. The figure below shows a painting of the creation of Adam.

Source (Crispino, 2009)

According to Chapman (2006), there have been attempts to explain the process of creation of Adam and the people involved as told in the holy books. In his painting, Michelangelo gives the impression of a panel that was involved in the creation of Adam, led by God. It is important to note some few facts about this painting. A careful analysis of this painting shows that the panel surrounding God are women.

This is so because there has been a general perception that angels are women. In this painting, it is apparent that the angels gave a helping hand in the creation of Adam (Crispino, 2009). This is further demonstrated by the fact that the attention of the entire panel is fully on Adam. It is also important to note that the hand of God is not in contact with the hand of Adam.

This could be supporting the theory that God created Adam, not through physical molding, but through word. Then he gave him life. The stretched hand of God could therefore, be assumed to be giving life to Adam. Lastly, it is important to note that Adam is placed on some kind of a hill while God and his angels are on air in some kind of a flying chariot of fire.

According to Zöllner (2010), ancient artists struggled to give their explanation about the creation of the first man in different ways. However, their explanations were massively influenced by the teachings from the holy books.

This could be what influenced Michelangelo when making this painting. The image also shows that God and his panel are in motion after creating Adam. It is also noticeably that Adam was created alone and left on this vast land.

Michelangelo’s piece of architecture in St Peters’ thesis sculpture

Michelangelo has remained famous several centuries after his death not only because of his sculptures and paintings but also because of his architectural prowess. He is one of the architectures who were involved in designing and construction of St. Peters’. Below is a picture of the interiors of this church.

Source (Castex, 2008)

Castex (2008) says, “St. Peter’s is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and remains one of the largest churches in the world.” Michelangelo was made chief architect of St. Peters Basilica in Rome in 1546. He was persuaded by the leadership of the church to take this position in order to help in designing the church.

The church’s leadership at St. Peters Basilica was convinced that Michelangelo was the right person to do this job because successive architects had failed to bring up the church. The plans for construction of the church had been underway for almost 100 years, but little effort had been made to design and put up the church.

Given his experience and prowess in artistry, the leaders of St. Peters Basilica were convinced that Michelangelo had the capacity to do this work successfully. They were right. According to Müntz (2011), upon assuming office as the chief architect of this church, he reviewed works that had been done by predecessors.

He soon came up with the plan for the church. This scholar says that Michelangelo has been credited for having come up with the design for the dome of this church. The work of construction was begun as soon as he was done with the design.

Although he never lived to see the final masterpiece upon its completion as he envisioned it during its design, the church has been considered as one of the greatest pieces of arts. It remains one of the largest churches in the world and probably the holiest church in Rome. Christians have considered it as a special church, especially due to its ambiance.

Michelangelo considered himself more of a sculptor than any other professions he demonstrated his prowess in during his career. His paintings and architectural works remain very popular, but according to his own analysis, he was a sculptor. However, many scholars have considered him a sculptor, an architect, a painter, an engineer and a poet. His works, some of which are given above, demonstrates this prowess in these fields.

References

Castex, J. (2008). Architecture of Italy. Westport: Greenwood Press.

Chapman, H. (2006). Michelangelo. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Crispino, E. (2009). Michelangelo. Firenze: Giunti.

Müntz, E. (2011). Michelangelo. New York: Parkstone International.

Müntz, E. (2011). Michelangelo. New York: Parkstone International.

Zöllner, F. (2010). Michelangelo, 1475-1564: Life and work. Köln: Taschen.

Introduction

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, an Italian Baroque style master of the Renaissance period was famous for his prolific paintings that decorated the churches and monasteries of Europe. This paper discusses four of his religious paintings.

Burial of St. Lucy, 1608, Oil on Canvas

This painting was done by Caravaggio in Syracuse and depicts the body of St. Lucy as she is readied for burial. Actual history suggests that St. Lucy who was martyred in 304 AD by pagan rulers who had severed her head but the artist has chosen to show her with her head intact and a small cut in the side of the neck. The painting shows a number of strongly muscled gravediggers who are poised in the act of digging the grave. One of the diggers is lightly bearded and critics have compared him with Christ and the symbolism that the artist is making as he gazes at something in the distance, over his shoulder indicates that it is perhaps Christ himself who has come to bury his martyred disciple. As was the custom, burials were done in deep and dark catacombs and the grave diggers seem to appear from the murky shadows and the strong lines of force in their act of digging seem to point towards the ground where the grave is being du. Their shoulders however seem to be hunched up towards the heavens. A group of mourners are standing beside the body and they are dwarfed by the height of the catacomb walls. Among the mourners is a bishop is a red cloak and the color seems to symbolize spilled blood. An officer, presumably of the pagan authorities is directing the activities and he is obscured among the mourners and this seems to indicate that authority goes away when death is in front. Caravaggio has tried to capture the helplessness of the saint as she lay on the ground, with her head turned skywards and right palm turned upwards, as if seeking redemption from the horrors that she was subjected to by the pagans (Alexander, 2000).

Saint Matthew and the Angel, 1602 AD, Oil on Canvas

This painting by the master is one of his most controversial concepts and portrayal of an angel. The work was commissioned by the authorities to replace an sculpted altarpiece that James Cobaert has taken up and could not complete. This painting represents an acute three-dimensional work and it seems Caravaggio wanted to give his work the appearance of a sculpture. An important note is that the priests who had commissioned this work considered it blasphemous and rejected it. The painting is supposed to represent St. Mathew as he speaks with an angel. Caravaggio represented the holy saint as a balding middle-aged man with dirty and knobby bare feet that jutted out obscenely and pointed out to the viewer. The priests were of the opinion that this was not the way in which a saint was to be depicted. The author has suggested that Caravaggio has deliberately chosen to depict the saint as a common man since the saint actually came from a humble background. The clothes that the saint is seen wearing also represent the simple garb of the peasant. The author has argued that the painter chose this representation to highlight the closeness of god with the common man, that god exists in all forms even including a baldheaded middle-aged man. This thought is also borne out by the strongly bunched forearms of the saint as he struggles to read a book with the angle directing his hand and this again points out that the saint was a working class peasant who was probably illiterate. In the painting, the left foot seems to jut out and when placed as an altarpiece, the left foot would be above a spot where the priest would have raised the Host while conducting mass. The painting has departed from his earlier depiction of angels and Christ where they were shown as sophisticated and esoteric beings. This painting was destroyed in the Second World War and only a photograph remains (Alexander, 2000).

John the Baptist (Youth with a Ram) 1602 AD, Oil on Canvas

This painting also called as Youth with a Ram represents Caravaggio’s esperiments with light and shadows. The painting exists in two almost identical versions and many theories have been proposed about its origins. The painting depicts an adolescent John, posing in the nude. A sacrificial Ram with its horns thrust out is nuzzling young John and shrubs of grapevines are shown in the background. The everlasting appeal lies in the soft play of light and shadows that the artist has used and the soft nature of the ochre cloak, the nude flesh of the model and the grape vines that presumably hold the red wine are depicted very prominently. The ochre red coverings contrast sharply with the stark white of the coverlets on which the figure is reclining and this suggests the innate relation between life and purity. The red symbolizes the blood of life and the white represents the pristine purity of the youth who has not yet been perhaps corrupted by life. The manhood of the boy is hidden in the shadows of the crossed thighs of the model as he caresses the horns of the Ram. The horns of the Ram are shown as knurled and coiled in an arc as young John attempts to caress them and they seem to draw the model in a whorl of energy. Christ was supposed to have sent a sacrificial lamb that was to take away the sins of mankind but this full-grown lamb is an antithesis. A Ram is usually associated with lust and adultery but such feelings are not conveyed through the painting and we have to presume that the innocence and youthfulness of the boy is supposed to temper even the lust of the beast. The boy is shown turned towards the viewer with an impish grin, as if he is enjoying the adulation that is being directed towards him (Alexander, 2000).

The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, 1608 AD, Oil on Canvas

This is one of the most famous paintings created by Caravaggio and it depicts the execution and beheading of St. John the Baptist in a prison by the Pagan authorities. There is an intense play of light and shadows in the dark prison with the high walls and the somber atmosphere. Two shadowy figures are placed at the far right back window and they are witnessing the execution of the saint and they seem to be a part of the scene and looking inwards. There are four other characters in the scene: the executioner, the jailor who is directing the activity, the old lady who has covered her ears in horror and the maid who is bending down with a metal bowl, presumably to collect the blood of St. John who is lying on the floor with his hands tied behind his back, face resting on earth and turned towards the viewer, already dead. The executioner is forcing St. Johns head to the floor, perhaps to hold him still as the lifeblood oozes away. The executioner knife is shown to be an ordinary knife and is held behind the executioners back as if he is ashamed of his deed. The jailer is shown trim and proper with his set of keys jutting forward and his index finger pointing towards the prostrate saint at his feet. The maid is shown in rapt attention as she holds the bowl delicately between her thumb and forefinger. The old lady is the only one who is showing horror and remorse at the vile act that has been done as she holds her hands to her ears, perhaps to block the death cries of the saint. The painter has made magnificent use of shadows and light and the background is stark and bare except for the bars of the cell in which the saint was held. Everything else is muted and the lines of force are strongly centered on the figures huddled around the fallen saint. The drama and the tragedy is very starkly and movingly portrayed the painter has taken care to suppress all other external demonstration of remorse and grief and it can be said that is one of the best works by the artist (Alexander, 2000).

References

1. Alexander Nagel (2000), ‘Michelangelo and the Reform of Art’, Cambridge University Press
2. Fernie, Eric, ‘Art History and its Methods: A critical Anthology’
3. Honour Hugh, John Fleming, ‘The Visual Arts: A History, 7th Edition.’

Michelangelo Buonarotti (1475-1564) was a famous Italian artist of the Renaissance period. His drawing Five Studies for the Figure of Haman represents one of the scenes of the Cappella Sistina (the Sistine Chapel), the crucifixion of the Jews’ enemy Haman (fig. 1). In the artist’s practice, drawings often preceded paintings because they helped him create the works of art faster and easier. In Five Studies for the Figure of Haman, the painter uses red and black chalk, three-dimensional structure, and anatomical images as parts of his critical thinking process that help him paint the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling.

Michelangelo emphasized the importance of drawings because they were an essential part of the painting process. He often said that he “was never a painter or sculptor like those who make a business of it” (Sebregondi 9). This statement demonstrates his caring attitude to the process of art in general and drawing in particular. It also shows that he painted sketches and cartoons not to make his larger works better for the public but to prepare all necessary steps for himself. The drawing was as significant as painting and sculpture for Michelangelo; that is why Michelangelo’s sketches are evaluated as art today. The artist’s numerous pictures and cartoons demonstrate his well-developed critical thinking and imagination that helped him paint the greatest Sistine Chapel.

By using red chalk, Michelangelo hoped to accomplish the drawing quickly. For many artists, sketches preceded paintings, sculptures, and works of architecture (Keizer 311). Michelangelo was not an exception, and his drawing The Figure of Haman was a draft of his great frescos for the Sistine Chapel. Red chalk was easy to use, and taking into account the huge amount of preparation for the main work of art, Michelangelo preferred to save time and reduce the work on preliminary sketches. Moreover, red chalk could create subtle and mid-tone variations on the paper. Thus, when the artist needed a darker tone, he could wet red chalk, and the necessary effect would be achieved. This material allowed the artist flexibility because he could take it with him and continue the process of painting anywhere. Therefore, Michelangelo’s critical thinking allowed him to save time and create an effect of lights and shadows, using the only material – red chalk.

The drawing also contains some traces of black chalk at the right part of the sheet. These faint traces “could represent either the tree on which Haman was crucified or the outside of the pendentive’s frescoed frame” (Bambach 661). According to Bambach, the black lines on the image halt suddenly, which means that the drawing was obscure and incomplete (661). On the one hand, Michelangelo might use dark chalk to separate the image of Haman’s hand from his body image. However, taking into account the artist’s critical thinking process, one may assume that the black chalk traces denoted an unfinished drawing. Since the drawing was only a preparation for the main work of art, it could remain uncompleted.

Although the preliminary sketches were a normal part of Michelangelo’s art process, the use of three-dimensional structure demonstrates that this process was essential for him. The drawing depicts Haman’s arm from different perspectives, creating a three-dimensional (3-D) view of this part of the body (fig. 1). In such a way, Michelangelo tried to reinforce the meaning of this image and allude to his fresco “Creation of Adam.” On the fresco, Adam is “about to touch God through the contact of their fingertips,” symbolizing a connection between humans and religion (Ellwanger et al. 38). On the drawing, Haman’s arm is turned to God or the audience in a similar manner, and every fingertip is visible due to its 3-D structure (fig. 1). Michelangelo’s aim was to create a deeper sense of this scene, a sense of remorse and pleading for help, which can be better achieved through the 3-D images of a begging hand.

As many other artists of the Renaissance period, Michelangelo paid close attention to anatomical images in his paintings. He believed that male nudity “was grounded more deeply in time and in design than the dressed male” (Keizer 312). Different researches proved Michelangelo’s knowledge of human anatomy, so his detailed depiction of a human body was not surprising. From this perspective, the artist was obsessed with the human body and tried to paint each of its parts in the most precise manner. On the drawing, for example, one can see every muscle of Haman’s arms and neck and every bone of his chest (fig. 1). To create a realistic effect, Michelangelo utilizes his critical thinking and imagination. He plays with light and shadow masterfully and creates a real-like image of a man. Obviously, the artist would not be able to produce such masterful pieces of art if he did not utilize critical thinking.

Having analyzed Michelangelo’s drawing Five Studies for the Figure of Haman, one can conclude that the artist used it as a part of the critical thinking process over his painting for the Sistine Chapel. For the artist, the drawing was as important as painting and sculpture, so it could not be ignored or avoided. At the same time, Michelangelo used sketches and cartoons as drafts which would never be admired by the public. His drawings would allow him to create great paintings and sculptures easier and faster than if he did not use any sketches at all.

Works Cited

Bambach, Carmen C. “A Note on Michelangelo’s Cartoon for the Sistine Ceiling: Haman.” The Art Bulletin, vol. 65, no. 4, 1983, pp. 661-665. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/3050374.

Ellwanger, Joel Henrique, et al. “Anatomy Lessons in Michelangelo’s Works?” Journal of Morphological Sciences, vol. 29, no. 1, 2012, pp. 38-43.

Keizer, Joost. “Michelangelo, Drawing, and the Subject of Art.” The Art Bulletin, vol. 93, no. 3, 2011, pp. 304-324. JSTOR.

Sebregondi, Giulia Ceriani. “On Architectural Practice and Arithmetic Abilities in Renaissance Italy.” Architectural Histories, vol. 3, no. 1, 2015, pp. 1-15.

The two works of art examined here appear quite different and indeed when analyzing the context similarities seem nearly impossible. The Girl with a Pearl Earring is a portrait of a young girl with the focal point being her teardrop-shaped pearl earring. The painting is oil on canvas and stands the test of time as the most famous masterpiece of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, on whom very little information can be found. The subject is a young, bright-faced girl facing forward, lips slightly parted, while her body is turned away. The sculpture Atlas’ Slave by Michelangelo is carved into marble and depicts the mythical figure of Atlas supporting the world on his shoulders.

The date associated with Atlas’ Slave is rather obscured, though most critics estimate sometime between 1515 and 1530. Michelangelo is well known for working during the “high renaissance”, in which artists and scholars were rediscovering Roman and Greek mythology and their image of man as a civilized, beautiful, intellectual creature. The context in which Michelangelo carved this sculpture is quite fitting to the meaning of the piece because it uses a popular subject among his contemporaries. Also, depicting Atlas as strong and handsomely shaped fits in Renaissance art because it celebrates the beauty, strength, and ability of man. The material Michelangelo uses contributes to the strength and realistic appearance of the sculpture as well and contributes to the meaning of the sculpture.

By sculpting Atlas’ Slave out of marble he emphasizes the Renaissance belief that man was indestructible and extremely strong and capable. Another interesting detail is the seemingly unfinished quality of the sculpture. “Often the original form of the material is totally altered in the process, but in Michelangelo’s Atlas’ Slave we can still see the rectangular block of stone…” (Zelenski 304). Perhaps Michelangelo’s intention here was to make the viewer aware of the medium with which he was creating. It’s easy to picture a fully completed sculpture as human, but here we are fully aware that Atlas is carved from a block of marble and, in a sense, this highlights the connection between man and his connection to the earth. In comparison to Vermeer’s work, Atlas’ Slave depicts a strong, intimidating image of a down-trodden hero, who has to carry the world on his back, when Vermeer’s girl appears as the pinnacle of femininity, softness, even desire.

Girl with a Pearl Earring also has mystery surrounding its creation. Like Atlas’ Slave, the date of the work is unclear, though critics assume it was finished around 1665. Vermeer was considered a Dutch Baroque painter and, true to its context, the painting portrays a level of reserved emotion in the slight head tilt and longing gaze of the subject. Girl with a Pearl Earring is undeniably Baroque in its use of bright color and shadows. She is painted to the right side of the canvas with darkness in the background and covering her back. “The painting makes a strong impression because the girl is intently gazing directly at the viewer while her head is turned away from the viewer at an unusually large angle” (West 314).

The painting feels bright and colorful, but in reality, the amount of light on the subject is rather minimal and from one direction—perhaps she was sitting by a window to her right side. The materials used also contribute to the meaning of the painting. Vermeer was known for using extravagant paints such as the very pricey ‘lapis lazuli’ which comprises the blue in the girl’s headscarf. The use of this and other bright colors adds to the passion of a painting that reads as otherwise quite demure. The strong blue color of the girl’s headscarf draws the eye immediately upward so that the pearl earring that serves as a focal point is noticed almost secondarily as it is partially covered in darkness. Though many rumors have been made to explain who the girl was and how she was connected to Vermeer, there is not concrete identification (Barnes 1223). We still do not know whether the painting was commissioned, which would certainly contribute to the meaning of the piece.

Though the analysis of these two works leads a viewer in two different directions, similarities can be found. Both have a lot of mystery surrounding their creation; neither has a concrete date associated with it. Also, both works are disconnected from their intended use: we don’t know whether Vermeer’s painting was commissioned or who the subject was in relation to the painter, and though we know that Atlas’ Slave was intended to surround the tomb of a Pope, it was supposedly never included.

Works Cited

Bernadine Barnes (2007). Michelangelo. Review of medium The Sixteenth Century Journal, 38(4), 1223. Web.

Paul Zelanski, Mary Pat Fisher. The Art of Seeing (1991). Prentice-Hall: New York. Seventh Edition. 496 pages.

Roger W West, Hank G Van Veen. (2007). Gaze as Depicted in Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. The Journal of General Psychology, 134(3), 313-28. Web.

Art plays a significant part in people’s lives. Art inspires people, gives them some new ideas, or just entertains. The relations inside the art community are also very difficult. Some artists influence others, and some are influenced by. The process is much interconnected, as some artists have already gained success, and the others are only at their start. Some artists, more experienced, become examples for others and objects of inspiration. So, it is not a surprise that some works of young artists may remind the paintings of more experienced.

The history of art knows two painters whose names were Michelangelo: Michelangelo Buonarroti, simply known as Michelangelo, and Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known as Caravaggio. Caravaggio wanted to make Christian history more understandable for people and used religious subjects as the themes for his paintings. (Stokstad 2004)

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) was considered to be one of the great figures, an example for others in Italian painting. This Italian artist remains an example for many other young artists even now when so much time has passed. There is such a definition as “the Caravaggeschi”. This definition is referred to other artists who imitate Caravaggio’s themes, figure types, and evocative handling of light and dark. We way name such artists as Carlo Saraceni, Diego Velazquez, Georges de la Tour, and Jusepe de Ribera, and lots of others, who kept Caravaggio’s influence alive well into the seventeenth century. (Wilkin 2000)

“The consolation of Caravaggio’s paintings is the assurance that every sin is known and registered” (Danto 2002). Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s paintings are closely connected with religion, and religion is the immortal theme for art. In one of his paintings, Caravaggio “has composed the scene within a canvas far wider than it is high, to put as much distance between Judith and the victim as possible” (Danto 2002).

Georges de la Tour and Rembrandt are often called the Caravaggio’s followers. Pictures of Caravaggio which we created on his post-Roman travels may seem for somebody churlish, “amid the selection of so much glory, to cavil at a single omission” (Rosenthal 2001).

Georges de la Tour, Rembrandt, Franz Hals, and Velasquez were influenced by Caravaggio’s works years after his early death, they “continued to succumb to the powerful influence of his combination of brutal naturalism with what must now be called a cinematic sense of staging” (Wilkin 2002).

The artists copied much of Caravaggio’s works, hid themes, his way of painting, the use of color, shade and others. Their works were something different from their idle, but still it is very easy to follow the common features.

Velasquez’ Las Meninas is a painting, in which the artist “paints himself into the frame” (Kumbier 2001). Velasquez does not make any tries to explain what he wanted to show or to tell with his work, he gives it to us, to the viewers.

So, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was a great artist who was the example, the model for inspiration and the teacher of many European artists such as, Georges de la Tour, Rembrandt, Franz Hals, and Velasquez. They created their paintings much like Caravaggio’s in the items of themes, color, and other items which could be copied. Caravaggio left a lot of followers after him who continued to create and support his ideas during the seventeenth century.

Works Cited

Danto, Arthur C. “Artemisia and the Elders.” The Nation. 2002

Kumbier, William. “Besonnenheit, Ekphrasis and the Disappearing Subject in E. T. A. Hoffmann’s “Die Fermate”.” Criticism. 2001.

Rosenthal, Tom. “Rome Sweet Rome.” New Statesman. 2001.

Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. Prentice Hall, 2004.

Wilkin, Karen. “Father & Daughter at the Met.” New Criterion. 2002.

Wilkin, Karen. “Two Views of Caravaggio.” New Criterion. 2000.