The period known as the Renaissance was the most significant in the history of Western art and the most influential in forming the present cultural approach to all forms of art and architecture. Its origins lay in the early history of Greece and the subsequent Roman Empire, as well as in the later influence of the developing Christian faith, and it is not surprising that it was first seen in Italy during the 14th century. The spread of the Renaissance, during the 15th and 16th centuries throughout Europe,provided some of the greatest artistic achievements that are revered and enjoyed to this day. For many,the seminal figure of the period, whose lifetime began in the 15th and ended in the 16th century, was Michelangelo Buonarroti, sculptor, painter, architect and poet - along with Leonardo, the archetypal Renaissance Man.

The intention is to examine his achievement in relation to the developing Italian Renaissance, a period of unique interest and achievement, in a divided country inhabited by many of the most famous and infamous figures in European history. To understand Michelangelo it is important to see him in the context of Renaissance society and a study of the Renaissance culture is necessary before placing the dominating figure of Michelangelo at its artistic heart.

It is often suggested that Michelangelo was difficult and irascible, feared and disliked more than he was admired and revered. He is presented as a wild force in a gentle and civilized society. This is far from the truth. That he was powerful and difficult would not have been denied by his friends; but he lived and worked in an age of powerful and demanding men (notably, most of his patrons) in a society that was full of intrigue and brutality.

It is also important to recognize that the Renaissance was an age of unrivalled achievement in the arts and that Michelangelo was regarded by his peers as a uniquely expressive force in each of the major art forms in which he worked. It is indeed difficult, if not impossible, to conclude that in.

Preface 8

Introduction 12

Chapter One

The Story of Michelangelo"s Life 36

Chapter Two

Michelangelo & His Contemporaries 110

Chapter Three

The Italian Renaissance 120

Chapter Four

The Art of Michelangelo 156

Chapter Five

The Architecture of Michelangelo 380

Chapter Six

The Poems of Michelangelo 426

Chronology 430

Bibliography 434

Index 436