"I am still learning." ~ Michelangelo
Born on this day in Florence, Italy, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) was one of the greatest artists that ever lived. His art mirrored his belief that the beauty of the human body was a symbol of divinity.
"Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I accomplish," he said.
A genius in painting, sculpture, and architecture, his magnificent fresco on the ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel is the pinnacle achievement. To depict the Biblical scenes with over 3,000 figures, for four years the artist painted lying on his back, just a few inches from the ceiling, without ever seeing the effect of his work.
"I have finished the chapel I have been painting," Michelangelo wrote his father in 1512. "The Pope is very well satisfied."
Michelangelo's sculpted Pieta of the Madonna and Jesus (1498-1499) and the gigantic nude statue of David (1501-1504) are perfection in marble. "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free," he said.
His creation of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica became the model for domes all over the world. "What the eye can see, the hand will draw," he said.
Shortly before his death, perhaps to preserve his aura, the divine artist ordered many of his drawings destroyed in two bonfires. Imagine someone as talented as Michelangelo, admitting that he still had things to learn. Knowledge keeps the creative muse alive.
As a birthday gift to Michelangelo and treat for yourself, EXPAND...take time to learn something new today and every day...
