Michelangelo is one of art history’s earliest true “characters.” He was a polymath genius who is widely considered to be one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance period even while acquiring a reputation for being temper driven, fickle, and difficult. He was part of the revival of classical Greek and Roman art, yet his unique contributions went beyond mere mimicry of antiquity. His work was infused with a psychological intensity and emotional realism that had never been seen before and often caused quite a bit of controversy. Despite his rebelliousness, he managed to find lifelong support by the era’s most renowned patrons and produced some of the world’s most iconic masterpieces that continue to be revered, and even devotionally prayed upon, today.
Credit: The Art Story
