The creative path of Michelangelo Buonarroti. Periods of life and creativity

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)

The third titan of the Renaissance lived long life. He created as in the period high renaissance, and in the years of its decline. The Greatest Master of his era, Michelangelo surpassed everyone in strength and richness picturesque images, civic pathos, passion. Painter, sculptor, architect, poet Michelangelo contributed generous gift into the treasury of world culture.

Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in the town of Caprese, in Valtiberina, on “the sixth day of March 1475, four hours before dawn,” according to the story of biographer, student and friend Ascanio Kindivi. At the request of Father Ludovico, who comes from noble family Counts of Canossa and acting mayor of Chiusi and Caprese, Michelangelo was destined for a literary career.

After the expiration of his term as mayor and the death in 1481 of his wife Francesca di Neri di Minato del Sera, Ludovico settled in Settignano. He sends the brothers of the future artist to the guild of wool and silk fabrics, and Michelangelo ends up in the school of Francesco da Urbino. Grammar teacher. The lively mind of the boy, who was only six years old at the time, inspired big hopes, but, as Vasari, a biographer and admirer of Michelangelo, recalls, “at any moment when he was left alone, he devoted himself to drawings, for which he was shouted at, or even beaten by his father and all the elders, perhaps believing that this was a whim, little understandable to them, was base and unworthy of them ancient family". Time passes, but the situation, according to the father, does not improve: Michelangelo, moreover, made friends with a boy of the same age, Francesco Granacci, who visited the workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio. He, according to Vasari, “developed his young talent in the drawings of the master that he was able to copy them." And then the father, unable to turn his son away from drawing, decides to send him to study "Domenico Ghirlandaio. When Michelangelo came to the Florentine artist’s studio, he was twelve years old, but his period of study lasted less than expected, since the maestro appreciated the talent of the young trainee. Unfortunately, there are very few left works of art this period, during which Michelangelo mainly had to copy the great masters of the 15th century, and not only Italian ones. But there is a widely known case, reported by both Condivi and Vasari, about how a young student copied a lithograph with a pen German artist Martin Schongauer's The Temptation of Saint Anthony. Vasari says that the creation of the drawing gave him "the title of the greatest" because he, "imitating the works of various old masters, made them so similar that it was impossible to distinguish, since he also tinted and aged the paper with smoke and other substances […] , so that the drawings seemed ancient, and then, when he compared them with his own, it was impossible to distinguish one from the other."

In 1489, Lorenzo de' Medici, the ruler of Florence, decided to open a large garden for young artists at the monastery of St. Mark on Larga Street, where a wonderful collection of sculptures and antique gems was kept. In this garden Lorenzo Medici organizes educational institution, which can be briefly called the "Medici Academy". Lorenzo's idea was to create a real school that would contribute to the formation of new talents, whose art would have no rivals for Florence. The keeper of the collection and mentor of the youth was the elderly Bertoldo di Giovanni, a sculpture and medalist who had once studied with Donatello. The most outstanding artists of Florence had to select from among the students of their workshops those who could worthily enter the school conceived by Lorenzo “The Magnificent,” as his contemporaries usually called him. Domenico Ghirlandaio selected Francesco Granacci and Michelangelo Buonarroti among his students. However, intellectual and artistic ability the latter is soon singled out among the school students.

Young Michelangelo comprehends not only art, but also gets acquainted with philosophy and literature. According to tradition, it is believed that it was the poet Angelo Poliziano, who told the myth about the struggle between the centaurs and the Lapiths, who proposed to the young artist recreate it. The bas-relief has been preserved - this is " "Battle of the Centaurs" from the Buonarroti Museum, carved shortly before the death of Lorenzo de' Medici.

Basically, the first works made by the artist are sculptures, since drawing served for teaching, and through sculptures he could translate his ideas into form. Of course, training with old Bertoldo di Giovanni helped Michelangelo discover the secret of Donatello's low relief, that is, the ability to give unusual depth to narrow marble tiles.

One of the important orders for Michelangelo was the creation of three small sculptures to decorate the 15th century sarcophagus of St. Domenic, located in the basilica of the same name in Bologna. He contributed to the stylistic evolution of Michelangelo, who combined his study of 15th-century Ferrara painting with lessons learned from the reliefs of the doors of Jacopo della Quercia of the Church of San Petronio in Bologna. The death of Lorenzo the Magnificent and the riots that engulfed Florence due to bad government the heir of Piero de' Medici, led Michelangelo to the decision to leave the city and head to Venice, and then to Bologna.

After a short stay in Florence, the sculptor, who was barely twenty-one years old, sent his steps to Rome, to Cardinal Riario, who had recently acquired the artist’s work, sold as an antique. Settling in the cardinal's palace, Michelangelo received a substantial commission from him, which marked the beginning of many that followed in his long career, although the statue, not appreciated by Riario, was subsequently acquired by Jacopo Galli. Influenced by the atmosphere of Rome, Michelangelo depicted the figure of a drunken Bacchus, which was directly inspired by ancient sculpture

The result of a direct acquaintance in August 1498 with the banker Jacopo Galli was an order that became one of the most famous works sculptor from Caprese: "Pieta" from the Vatican Cathedral, the only one signed by the master. The monumental version, which gave Mary the appearance of a very young girl, emphasized the eternal significance of mourning and compassion. The charm of the sculptural group finally established the fame of twenty-three-year-old Michelangelo: the work becomes a role model for his contemporaries. Raphael found in her a source of inspiration for his Pala Baglioni. And in subsequent centuries, artists looked at " Mourning" and studied.

Changes in the political situation in Florence and the election of Pietro Soderini as Gonfalonier contributed to Michelangelo's return to his hometown. This is how the second one begins, very fruitful period stay in Florence (from 1501 to 1505). During this period such masterpieces were created as " David", "M adonna with child", commissioned by the Muscoron family from Bruges, with whom Michelangelo maintained close commercial contacts. At the same time, Michelangelo sculpted the Tondo Tadde and Tondo Pitti.

The story of the tomb of Pope Julius II, which was to be completed by Michelangelo, turned out to be a long and painful one that affected the artist’s life. It is no coincidence that Michelangelo himself often spoke of the “tragedy of burial,” summing up all the bitterness and disappointment that this order brought. Conceived as the final monument to be located inside the renovated St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the papal mausoleum, commissioned in 1505, was completed only in 1547, and in a greatly reduced version compared to the original plan, and was installed in San Pietro in Vincoli. To implement the project, the artist worked in collaboration with Rafaelo da Montelupo, Maso del Bosco and Scherano da Settignano, and the only statue completely executed by the master was “Moses”. Neither Julius II himself, who distracted Michelangelo from completing the task by entrusting him with painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, nor his heirs fulfilled these obligations.

Despite this, Michelangelo created a beautiful series of slaves, of which four remained unfinished. The last created work of this period was the statue " Christ carrying the cross" commissioned by Roman commissioners for the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (1518-1520).

Then all his energy is absorbed by the execution of the order of the Medici tombs for the New Sacristy of the Church San Lorenzo in Florence. According to the wishes of two customers - Pope Leo X and the cousin of Cardinal Julius de' Medici, the future Clement VII, the building was to house the burials of Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother Juilan. The burial of Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother consists of a simple pedestal, to the right of the entrance, on which is located Michelangelo's Madonna and Child statue, begun in 1521.

Two unusual innovations introduced by Michelangelo in the execution of the mausoleum were the addition of two sculptures of "Condottierres", as he called them. The architectural layout of the space of the walls against which they are located, the rejection of any semblance of portrait resemblance and the use of the technique of “incompleteness” when creating the faces of “Day” and “Evening”. On the other hand, even Vasari admitted that the “sketch” does not close on itself, giving the impression not of a completed work, but of a creative impulse. In 1534, Michelangelo leaves Florence and returns to Rome. When the Sacristy was almost completed, the artist also sculpted the “David - Apollo” from the Bargello and then the “Victory” created for the mausoleum of Julius II, later installed in the Pallazzo Vecchio. On last stage sculptural activity, Michelangelo creates a bust of Brutus, commissioned by Cardinal Niccolò Ridolfi, but during these years the master’s work is predominantly dominated by the theme that occupied the artist even in his early days. teenage years- theme "Lamentation".

It was the feeling of the proximity of death that pushed Michelangelo on this path, since, according to his plan, the so-called “Pieta Bandini”, created between 1550 and 1555, was to decorate his own burial, which the master wanted to place in the Roman church of Santa Maria Maggiore. It remained unfinished and even damaged. Michelangelo, being dissatisfied with the sculpture, smashed Christ's hand with a hammer.

Separately, I would like to highlight the works of Michelangelo, the artist. The first official opportunity for the master to demonstrate his talent as an artist was when Soderini, Gonfaloniere of Florence, commissioned him to create a huge fresco for the Council Chamber in the Palazzo Vecchio. The front wall was supposed to be painted by Leonardo da Vinci, depicting the famous episode of the “Battle of Anghiari”, from which a few sketches and later copies remained. It is worth remembering the work of Leonardo in order to better understand the fresco by Michelangelo, which was also lost.

Leonardo chose a military episode, and Michelangelo was inspired by the story of the 14th century historian Giovanni Villani. During the war between Florence and Pisa, the Florentine troops decided to camp near the town of Cascina and swim in the Arno to cool off. But when they were warned about the approach of enemies, they quickly dressed and, having met their enemies, won. Michelangelo chose the moment when the soldiers were collecting clothes and weapons on the banks of the Arno, that is, precisely the moment when all forces were concentrated before the battle. In other words, the artist from Caprese was attracted precisely by the energy of tense bodies, exactly the same thing that attracted him to " "Battle of the Centaurs". Others important works the Florentine period became " Holy family with John the Baptist", better known as " Tondo Donny", "Descent from the Cross" And " Madonna and Child, John the Baptist and Four Angels" although art critics consider them more later works. But, of course, the work that became the pinnacle of Michelangelo’s work as an artist and confirmed his fame was the painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Julius II, at the suggestion of Bramante, who probably wanted to give Michelangelo a difficult task and distract him from working on the tomb, asked the artist to make a new painting of the ceiling, which was previously decorated with an image of the starry sky. Michelangelo, who wanted to begin work on the tomb of Julius II as soon as possible, tried to refuse the task, offering to involve Raphael in the work, but ultimately, in order to appease the stubborn pope, with whom he had already come into disagreements more than once, he accepted the offer.

The work lasted from 1508 to 1512. - for four years of continuous and exhausting work, as a result of which more than a thousand meters of space was sketched with almost three hundred figures. He was so accustomed to working with his head thrown back that when he descended from the walkway, he was forced to take a similar position in order to read the letter. It is not for nothing that in one of the sketched caricatures in a letter of that time, Michelangelo is depicted with his head thrown back up.

Michelangelo painted the ceiling in two stages and finished it on August 15, 1511, on the day of the Ascension of Our Lady, which is why the chapel was dedicated to the holiday. The work not only aroused universal admiration, but also had a direct influence on Raphael, who placed the figure of Michelangelo in the form of Heraclitus in the “School of Athens”; he used the theme of the Sibyls in the lunette “Virtues” in the painting of the Stanza Segnatura and on the front part of the arch of the Chigi Chapel in Santa Maria della Pace. During the period of work, which lasted four years, Michelangelo's style changed, becoming more powerful. A clear confirmation of this can be the comparison of the figure of Zechariah, deliberately seated in an unusual chair, and Jonah, presented from a perspective. The Prophet became a giant, barely able to fit in his place. Michelangelo returned to work on the Sistine Chapel twenty-five years after completing work on the ceiling. This time he creates the most painful work in the history of painting - " Last Judgment".

But this fresco was not the last painting work Michelangelo. Commissioned by Pope Paul III Farnese, he again creates frescoes in the Paolina Chapel in the Vatican. The chapel, built by Antonio la Sangallo in 1549, was a private chapel and its frescoes depicting the Conversion of St. Paul and the Crucifixion of St. Peter were similar to giant icons that called for meditation.

Considering the genius of Michelangelo, one cannot ignore his architectural talent, which was the first to be appreciated by Pope Leo X. It was he who chose, among the many presented projects, the one Buonarroti did for the facade of San Lorenzo, which the Medici considered almost a house church. In Michelangelo's project, he was amazed by the originality of the new approach to the interpretation of the classical architectural language as applied to a religious building, combined with numerous sculptural decorations of the building.

The artist from Caprese worked on the complex of San Lorenzo quite long time, since the pope entrusted him with work on the New Sacristy in 1520, and then Giulio de' Medici, who became after the death of his cousin Leo X, pope under the name of Clement VII, entrusts him in 1523 with the construction of the Laurentian Library.

To prolong the ephemeral dream of a republic that had appeared two years earlier, after the Medici were expelled from the city, the city made a desperate attempt to resist superior forces troops of Charles V. This was a very delicate moment in the life of the artist, because, taking part in the defense of Florence, he came into conflict with representatives of the family thanks to which he succeeded and became famous. That is why, after the fall of republican rule (August 12, 1530), Michelangelo went into hiding until he received a pardon from Clement VII, after which he again began work on the complex of San Lorenzo. The buildings of the complex became the only architectural structure created by Buonarroti in the second Florentine period. Subsequently, they were finally completed by Vasari and Bartolomeo Ammanti.

Only in 1546 did the artist again have to solve architectural problems. It was during this period, after completing the decoration of the Paolina Chapel, that Paul III asked him to finish the family palace: Antonio da Sangallo, who had recently died, did not have time to finish it.

Michelangelo's enormous contribution to the urbanism of Rome was his work on the Capitoline Hill, begun in 1538, when the artist used in parallel with scenography architectural structures techniques of perspective that will come into fashion in a hundred years.

And yet the work that occupied him until last day and what became his obsession was the construction of a new St. Peter's Basilica and its magnificent dome. Appointed as the architect for the construction of the cathedral in 1546, Michelangelo, adapting to Bramante’s grandiose project, simplified it and changed its dimensions, conceiving a building of a centralized layout, the dome of which became its plastic and symbolic completion. In the 17th century, due to the intervention of Maderno, St. Peter's Basilica, conceived by Michelangelo, lost its originality, retaining only the most significant part in the dome initial project architect. The artist was able to observe the construction until the foundation was erected. TO last period also includes the construction of Porta Pia and the reconstruction of Santa Maria degli Angeli.

The last thirty years of his life were marked by a gradual retreat from sculpture and painting and a turning mainly to architecture and poetry. Michelangelo's lyrics are distinguished by their depth of thought and high tragedy; It raises themes of love, harmony, and loneliness. Michelangelo's favorite poetic forms are madrigal and sonnet; They were not published during the author’s lifetime, although they were highly valued by his contemporaries. Michelangelo never returned to Florence. He died in Rome in 1564. After the death of the artist, his body was secretly taken from Rome and solemnly buried in the tomb of the famous Florentines - the Church of Santa Croce.

Michelangelo outstanding of the Renaissance, his contribution to culture is so great that today his name has become a household name and is used as a synonym for talent. He was truly a great architect. His work laid the vector for development European culture, and his masterpieces still shock people today. Our hero was born in 1457 in Caprese, a town in Italy, which is located near famous Florence. He was born into the family of a bankrupt nobleman, Lodovico Buonarroti.

Already in childhood, adults could see the boy’s extraordinary talents. When the boy was 13 years old, he became a student famous artist Ghirlandaio. Two years later, the boy falls under the patronage of the Medici, who was actually the owner of the city. The young talent studies at his school, where he continues to improve his talent as an artist. Michelangelo quickly became a great master. His talent was so obvious that everyone recognized him. He was a frequent guest of the Pope and others high rank and rulers. Everyone wanted their home or office to be decorated with the works of the great master. The genius traveled a lot, but most of his life was spent in Florence and Rome. Michelangelo is the author of such sculptures as: “St. Johannes” and “Sleeping Cupid”, “David”, “Twelve Apostles”, “St. Matthew”, “Moses”, “Bound Slave”, “Dying Slave”, “Leah”, “ Christ with the Cross" and others. Michelangelo Buonarroti died in Rome at the age of 89. Great sculptor He was never married and, unfortunately, left no children behind.

The man lived amazing life, several centuries have already passed, but humanity still admires his talents and versatility. Michelangelo wasn't like that universal genius like Leonardo da Vinci, but his success in different areas creativity is still amazing. Let us note that as an artist the Italian stands at the very pinnacle of this skill, or somewhere close to it. The quality of his work is amazing, and his creativity itself has had big influence on its masters who will take their first steps in art. Great amount The frescoes of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, painted by Michelangelo, testify not in words, but in deeds, to the scale of his personality. However, the author himself is modest about his artistic talents; first of all, he considers himself a sculptor. He not only talented artists a sculptor, but also an excellent architect. He is the author of the project of the Medici Chapel in Florence, also for a long time he was the chief architect on the construction of St. Peter's Basilica. Don't be surprised to learn that Michelangelo is also beautiful

Michelangelo Buonarroti(1475-1564) is the third great genius Italian Renaissance. In terms of personality scale, he approaches Leonardo. He was a sculptor, painter, architect and poet. The last thirty years of his work fall already on Late Renaissance. During this period, restlessness and anxiety, a premonition of impending troubles and upheavals, appear in his works.

Among his first creations, the statue “Boy Swinging”, which echoes the “Disco Thrower”, attracts attention. antique sculptor Mirona. In it, the master manages to clearly express the movement and passion of the young creature.

Two works - the statue of Bacchus and the Pieta group - created at the end of the 15th century, brought Michelangelo wide fame and glory. In the first, he was able to amazingly subtly convey the state of slight intoxication and unstable balance. The Pieta group depicts the dead body of Christ lying on the lap of the Madonna, mournfully bending over him. Both figures are fused into a single whole. The impeccable composition makes them surprisingly truthful and reliable. Departing from tradition. Michelangelo depicts the Madonna as young and beautiful. The contrast of her youth with the lifeless body of Christ further enhances the tragedy of the situation.

One of highest achievements Michelangelo appeared statue "David" which he risked sculpting from a block of marble lying unused and already damaged. The sculpture is very high - 5.5 m. However, this feature remains almost invisible. Ideal proportions, perfect plasticity, rare harmony of forms make it surprisingly natural, light and beautiful. The statue is filled inner life, energy and strength. It is a hymn to human masculinity, beauty, grace and elegance.

Michelangelo's highest achievements also include works. created for the tomb of Pope Julius II - “Moses”, “Bound Slave”, “Dying Slave”, “Waking Slave”, “Crouching Boy”. The sculptor worked on this tomb with breaks for about 40 years, but never completed it. However then. what the sculptor managed to create is believed to be greatest masterpieces world art. According to experts, in these works Michelangelo managed to achieve the highest perfection, ideal unity and correspondence inner meaning and external form.

One of Michelangelo's significant creations is the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence and decorated with sculptural tombstones, the Medici Chapel. Two tombs of Dukes Lorenzo and Giuliano Medici They are sarcophagi with sloping lids, on which there are two figures - “Morning” and “Evening”, “Day” and “Night”. All the figures look joyless, they express anxiety and a gloomy mood. These were precisely the feelings Michelangelo himself experienced as his Florence was captured by the Spaniards. As for the figures of the dukes themselves, when depicting them Michelangelo did not strive for portrait resemblance. He presented them as generalized images of two types of people: the courageous and energetic Giuliano and the melancholic and thoughtful Lorenzo.

Of Michelangelo's last sculptural works, the group “Entombment”, which the artist intended for his tomb, deserves attention. Her fate turned out to be tragic: Michelangelo broke her. However, it was restored by one of his students.

In addition to sculptures, Michelangelo created wonderful workspainting. The most significant of them are paintings of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

He tackled them twice. First, by order of Pope Julius II, he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, spending four years on it (1508-1512) and doing a fantastically difficult and enormous job. He had to cover more than 600 with frescoes square meters. On huge surfaces ceiling Michelangelo depicted Old Testament scenes - from the Creation of the world to the Flood, as well as scenes from Everyday life- a mother playing with her children, an old man immersed in deep thought, a young man reading, etc.

For the second time (1535-1541) Michelangelo created the fresco “The Last Judgment”, placing it on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. In the center of the composition, in a halo of light, there is the figure of Christ, who raised in a menacing gesture right hand. There are many naked people around him human figures. Everything depicted on the canvas is in a circular motion, which begins at the bottom.

the spruce side, where the dead are depicted rising from their graves. Above them are souls who strive upward, and above them are the righteous. Most top part the frescoes are occupied by angels. At the bottom of the right side there is a boat with Charon, who drives sinners to hell. The biblical meaning of the Last Judgment is expressed clearly and impressively.

IN last years Michelangelo's life deals architecture. He completes the construction of the Cathedral of St. Peter, making changes to Bramante's original design.

di Leonardo

di Buonarroti Simoni

“Outstanding artists are inaccessible not out of pride, but because they rarely meet people who understand art.” Michelangelo Buonarroti

In the work of the great Italian titan of the Renaissance Michelangelo Buonarroti(1475-1564) expressed with extraordinary brightness the best features of the art of that time: faith in human capabilities, truthful transmission of feelings. His art, powerful and passionate, is permeated with life-affirming, humanistic ideas, who inspired the people during the Renaissance, who for the first time stood up to fight the oppression of feudalism.

Michelangelo was an architect, sculptor, painter, and poet. The artist's versatility of interests and deep knowledge were combined with a breadth of mind. His love for his homeland was so deep that he warmly accepted its disasters with all his heart.

Michelangelo born, studied and formed as a master in Florence - at that time the dominant Cultural Center Italy. Here, while still a youth, he created those that have survived to this day. marble reliefs- “” and “”, in which strength and expressiveness are already felt, then received further development in the artist's work.

In 1496 Buonarroti comes to Rome, where by this time the country's largest artistic forces were gathering. In Rome, the young master creates his first outstanding creation - the group “ Lamentation of Christ" This sculptural Pieta made of marble is the embodiment of maternal pain and severe grief, and at the same time, spiritual strength and perseverance.

The youthfully beautiful body of the dead Christ with dejected helplessness, but blissfully stretched out on the lap of his mother, who carefully supports him. The figure of the Madonna is emotionally full of grandeur and restrained sorrow.

Renaissance artists willingly and confidently invested in their works symbolic meaning. As a symbol, contemporaries perceived the colossal statue of David, which at the beginning of the 16th century Buonarroti created for his hometown- Florence. David - biblical hero- a young shepherd, boldly went out into single combat with a monster - a terrible giant that brought experienced warriors to a feeling of horror, helplessness and confusion. Without wearing armor or a weapon in his hands, he struck the enemy with a stone thrown from a sling.

In the image of David Michelangelo embodied Florence itself, ready to give a worthy and courageous rebuff to its enemies day and night.

Michelangelo decided to portray the biblical hero completely naked - just like the great masters ancient Greece during its heyday they depicted their famous heroes. Every muscle is marked, and every muscle in the youth's figure is expressive. David froze, preparing to fight. He stands easily and naturally, but in his entire appearance one can feel power, composure, courage, and unshakable confidence in victory.

Pala Julius II, who sought to add shine to his reign, did his best to attract the largest modern masters. In 1505, on his instructions Buonarroti creates a grandiose tombstone, the construction of which he hopes will glorify his name forever. Michelangelo, captivated by the opportunities provided to him, was preparing to decorate the huge structure with many statues embodying various images moral greatness and strength of man. But the extravagant and reckless despot unexpectedly cancels the work he had started. The impetuous and proud Michelangelo leaves Rome and, despite the fact that the pope sent messengers after him, returns to his native Florence.

The papal court is making a lot of efforts to ensure that the Great Artist returns to Rome.

1508 Michelangelo in Rome. He begins a new large-scale work, but this time it is a painting. He, on instructions, paints frescoes Sistine Chapel ceiling. Captivated by the work he loved, the painter for several years almost never left the forests from which he painted.

Ceiling frescoes of the Sistine Chapel - complex work, including many various images. Biblical themes the artist invariably brings to life, vivid images. The image of God develops into art Buonarroti into the image of a man - a creator, actively and passionately surrendering creative work. Swift, concentrated, majestic, he brings the luminaries to life, with a confident movement of his hand he makes the dormant nature awaken. His lips are compressed, his eyes sparkle with inspiration from under his frowning brows.

The artist’s own creative fervor and faith in man suggested this image, humane and truthful, having nothing in common with the Christian idea of ​​a distant and faceless deity.

At the base of the Sistine Chapel vault Michelangelo placed an image of the legendary prophets and sibyls (soothsayers) - they embodied various shades human thought. Here is a young woman; Without letting go of the read scroll, she fixed her bright gaze into the distance, as if peering into the meaning of the text that had revealed itself to her (the Delphic Sibyl); here is an excited old man in impetuous movement - with a passionate gesture he expresses the doubts overwhelming him (Ezekiel). Perhaps it is most difficult to convey in painting the motionless, concentrated thoughtfulness of a person deeply lost in his thoughts, but Michelangelo also captured this state in the image of the prophet Jeremiah, filled with deep spirituality.

The heroic and cheerful spirit of the Renaissance triumphs in the painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. All the heterogeneous images here merge into a single hymn to man.

After the death of Pope Julius II, his heirs, based on the surviving treaty, demanded Buonarroti execution of the tombstone, the creation of which was rudely interrupted by the pope himself. Now this protracted work, which has lost its original content, is becoming a burden for Michelangelo.

It ends many years later with the construction of a tomb in a shortened, depleted version of the original plan. Now it bears the stamp of officiality; little is done by the hand of the master himself. However, in the center of the structure the viewer is struck by the grandiose and majestic Moses statue- a figure expressing heroic pathos. Moses personifies man's formidable indignation, his protest against the worship of the “golden calf” (a symbol of enslavement by wealth).

IN final version The tomb of Julius does not contain two statues previously created for it, which Buonarroti gave to his friend, who took them to France. These are the so-called Louvre slaves - dying and rising. Particularly characteristic of creativity Buonarroti unfinished, but filled with extraordinary expressiveness, the figure of the second young man. His hands are tied tightly behind his back; strong and passionate, throwing back his head, leaning forward, he strives with his whole being to break the bonds that bind him. One feels that they are too strong, one cannot free oneself from them, but the captive is full of a thirst for freedom and will never reconcile himself with captivity.

The tragic motive of the intolerability of captivity, perhaps not by chance, sounds at this turning point in creativity Michelangelo.

The artist assessed reality too correctly to be deceived about the meaning of the events taking place in Italy at that time. The reaction, led by the papacy, is preparing to go on the offensive against the ideological gains of humanism. The country, still fragmented by feudal lords, weakened by enemy invasions, is unable to fight the new strong external enemy: the troops of Emperor Charles V enter Italy. In 1527 they carry out the most terrible defeat of Rome. Pope Clement VII concludes a shameful treaty with the invader. The united papal and imperial troops descend on freedom-loving Florence, which puts up determined resistance, and in 1529 subject it to a brutal siege.

Buonarroti at this time lives in his homeland: for several years he has been busy with a new grandiose work - the creation Medici Tombs. This is an architectural and sculptural ensemble, which, according to the customers, was supposed to raise and exalt the Medici family (former rulers of Florence), and according to the plan Michelangelo glorify the former power of his hometown. Buonarroti, as always, is passionate about his work. But at the first sign of approaching danger, he considers himself obliged to leave his work and actively engage in preparations for defense. The artist becomes one of the active defenders of the city during its siege.

In August 1530, Florence was occupied by enemies as a result of betrayal. Terror begins. Michelangelo, like other patriots, is in danger, but since the pope needs the artist’s work, he receives a pardon.

In the early 30s Michelangelo completes Medici Tombs sculptures. This mourning structure includes symbols of fleeting time - the figures of Morning, Day, Evening and Night. Retaining the features of heroic strength that are invariably inherent in all images Michelangelo, they at the same time bear traces of tragedy, which over the years becomes more and more evident in the work of the great master.