My favorite

I just wanted to say that I had a wonderful time learning about Michelangelo. There were so many things that I did not know before. I think his paintings and sculptures are so beautiful. I want to share my favorite piece of Michelangelo.

Pieta

Michelanglo's last days

In his final days, Michelangelo could no longer sleep. He wanted to be alone and silence was what he wanted. He claim's the night was his friend. He made himself a helmet that a candle in it so that he could work through the night.
These are Michelangelo's words concerning his last days.

"I live alone and miserable, trapped as marrow under the bark of the tree. My voice is like a wasp caught in a bag of skin and bones. My teeth shake and rattle like the keys of a musical instrument. My face is a scarecrow. My ears never cease to buzz. In one of them, a spider weaves its web, in the other one, a cricket sings all night long. My rattling catarrh won't let me sleep. This is the state where art has led me, after granting me glory. Poor, old, beaten, I will be reduced to nothing, if death does not come swiftly to my rescue. Pains have quartered me, torn me, broken me and death is the only inn awaiting me.

Michelangelo died on February 18th, 1564, after a "slow fever." IT was said of Michelangelo that he left "his soul to God, his body to the earth, and his material possessions to his nearest relations." There was not much left in his house because he had burnt most of it.

Lionardo Buonarroti, Michelanglo's nephew, took his uncle's body to Florence. Here the remains were taken to Santa Croce (where Michelangelo himself h ad wanted to be buried). There was a large attendance at the funeral to celebrate the life of a beloved artist.

The Final Materpiece

Michelangelo's final masterpiece was called the The Rondanini Pieta.Michelangelo worked on this piece for more than ten years. Michelangelo is revisiting his original Pieta by having Mary hold Jesus. It looks as though Christ is actually holding up Mary. It has been said that Michelangelo created it this way, so that it seems Christ is comforting Mary with his Spirit.
Here our Michelangelo's own words on his final masterpiece.

"the course of my life has finally reached In its fragile boat, over stormy seas The common port where we must account For all our past actions. No painting or sculpture can quiet my soul, Now turned to the Divine Love that opens To embrace me in His arms." "For ten years of sleepless nights, I've been designing a Pieta. The body of our Lord was too heavy with death to be held up by his old Mother. His head...too earthy with matter, too real...so I cut away the Lord's head and shoulders, leaving only his arm as a model for a new one, and carved a new head from the Virgin's shoulder. He backs inward to fuse with his Mother's body, as she bends forward to raise him up. Mother and Son, the Living and the Dead, become One - Death becomes a Resurrection."