Michelangelo Buonarroti was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet of the High Renaissance who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art.
He is best known for his artwork on the Sistine Chapel ceiling and the statue of David.
Here are ten fun facts about Michelangelo:
1. Michelangelo only ever signed one of his works, Pietà.
2. His full name was Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni.
3. When Michelangelo was a child, his father placed him in the care of a stonecutter.
4. In 1496, he moved to Rome where he worked on various projects including painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512 – a task which is considered one of his masterpieces. Originally the job was tasked to Raphael.
5. He disliked Leonardo da Vinci. They felt “an intense dislike for each other,” according to biographer Vasari.
6. His mother died when he was only six years old.
7. It took him forty years to finish “The Tomb of Pope Julius II”. The pope had commissioned Michelangelo with the task and expected it complete within five years. One reason it took so long is because Michelangelo was also painting the Sistine Chapel at the same time.
8. His nose was broken by a rival artist, Pietro Torrigiano, during a heated argument.
9. He was known to be fiercely independent and had a quick temper which often got him into trouble. He was a very private person and rarely left any records of his thoughts or feelings.
10. Michelangelo died on February 18, 1564, at the age of 88. He died a rich man with a wealth worth around $50 million USD at todays value.
