Although, MichelAngelo Buonarroti was born in distant Campagnia, the birthplace of the artist MichelAngelo was certainly Florence. A city whose attractions offer a priviliged path through the entire career of the wordls most famous artist. The very urban fabric of Florence is marked by the genuius of MichelAngelo, and it's beffiting that the city provides a rich harvest of the great sculpturor's works.
The Gallery of the Accademia, as featured on our Original Renaiisance Walk, has the largest and most spectacular collection of MichelAngelo's works in existence. The building was originally a hospital that was later converted into an Accademy of Arts and Drawings by the will of Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo. In 1873, MichelAngelo's “David” was moved here from it's original position in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, because parts of the statue had begun to show decay due to the exposure to natyral elements
By 1882, a large apse was constructed within the Gallery to house and exhibit one of MichelAngelo's greatest creations. With the vaulted ceiling and play of light created by this new structure provided the ideal form through which to truly admire the hand of the master. Futher works by MichelAngelo were added in the 20 th century when MichelAngelo's Slaves were placed at the sides of the Gallery framing the approach to the statue of David.
These so-called slaves, figures desperately trying to wriggle free of the stone that holds them, are unfinished works by MichelAngelo that had been part of a project for the Tomb of Pope Julius II. After the death of Julius, his relatives decided that such an expensive was no longer necessary and these statues were left incomplete. In each of the statues an intense relationship of forces is established between the emerging figures and the material space enveloping and constraining them.
At the Casa Buonarroti, an unusual home cum museum, that was once the home of MichelAngelo's brothers and decsendants there are examples of works from MichelAngelo's early years. As well as an important series of drawings, the house the museum is also home to one of MichelAngelo's earliest works – the bas-relief of the battle of the Centaurs dating from 1492.
One of the more interesting attractions of the Casa Buonarroti is a delightful wooden crucifix created by MichelAngelo around 1492 for the church of Santo Spirito. In the marks an interesting episode in MichelAngelo's life when the great master was allowed to study anatomy on cadavers, which was forbidden at that time. Through these studies the great artist was able to reflect his great understanding of the human form in his later works.
In the nearby Bargello Museum, which was once the Hall of Justice, there are four masterpieces by MichelAngelo. The most famous being the statue of Bacchus, the god of wine. This statue was first to earn MichelAngelo renown and perhaps defined the style of MichelAngelo's mature years.
Outside the Palazzo Vecchio, stands a copy of the Original Statue of David by MichelAngelo. But, inside the Palazzo which was originally the symbol of civic power in Florence rests a delightful, but not well-known group of marble sculptures by MichelAngelo. The most prominent of these sculptures is called “Victory”. Probably intended for the Tomb of Julius II, this sculpture became one of MichelAngelo's most influential pieces of work influencing both the mannerist movement and the young Bernini.
Other remarkable sculptures by MichelAngelo can be found at the Medici complex of San Lorenzo, set amongst the hustle and bustle of the busy San Lorenzo market. Where several sculptures of MichelAngelo are housed within an architectural framework that provides the perfect setting for the work of the great master.
Through these works of MichelAngelo the intrepid traveller will be able to encounter some of the major periods of the great artists life.
