Michelangelo in Rome
Michelangelo Buonarroti born at Arezzo in 1475, Died in Rome, 1564
Michelangelo arrived in Rome in 1496, four years after the death of
Lorenzo the Magnificent, the man who had discovered the great talents
of Michelangelo when he was still only fifteen years old. Michelangelo
decided to leave Florence for Rome, because he felt that Rome offered
greater a broader field through which he could express his innumerable
talents in many various fields of Art.
On his first visit to Rome, Michelangelo remained until 1501. During
this first period he executed the magnificent Pieta carved out of white
marble for St. Peters, which is discussed on our Vatican
Walking Tour.
In 1505, he was back in Rome, summoned by Pope Julius II to make his
tomb, which today rests in San Peters. Michelangelo himself described
this project as the " tragedy of the tomb" and of his life.
An endless series of rejections, changes of mind, and new designs tormented
him throughout his life, leaving him deeply embittered. The tomb is
located at St. Peters.
His dream and arguably his salvation was to find a harmonious fusion
of the arts in a continuous flow of movements, and this found its fulfillment
in the pictorial decoration of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo's
greatest moment. Along with comments on the works of Botticelli, listen
to fully comprehensive interpretation of the Sistine Chapel on our Vatican
Walking Tour, or visit our Sistine
Chapel page for more information and photos on this important monument.
Michelangelo's greatest gift to the skyline of Rome is the Cupola of
St. Peters. A design that greatly influenced later architects, and the
influence of Michelangelo can be seen in numerous domes around the city
executed by later Roman architects such as Borromini, Cortona and Rosati.
He dedicated the dome of St. Peters to the Madonna and the people of
Rome. After taking our Vatican Walking Tour,
enjoy some free time to enjoy an intimate experience of Michelangelo's
creation and an incredible view of the city of Rome. To reach the dome
be prepared for a climb up several hundred steps for views that will
last a lifetime.
In the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, you'll find the statue
of the Redeemer. Michelangelo accepted the following contract for this
work "A Marble figure of Christ as large as life, naked, erect,
with his arms around a cross, in an attitude that Michelangelo deems
fit". Like many of the works of Michelangelo, things didn't quite
work out as the artist planned. Enjoy a delightful anecdote surrounding
this piece work on our Original Rome Walking
Tour.
The Piazza Campidoglio, the Capitol, is where Michelangelo through
the plan and execution of the square and its buildings created a stage
for the magnificent pageantry of the Renaissance ceremonies, and with
a consummate mastery he did not leave it empty. Representing a bridge
between Ancient and Modern Rome, he placed an Equestrian statue of a
Roman emperor to greet the one of his day. The giant bronze statue was
executed to the design of Michelangelo by Francesco Amadori, one of
his favorite pupils. In fact, Michelangelo later in his life took Amadori
into his own home to care for when he was dying.
Top
