Michelangelo

Michelangelo was a sculptor, painter, and architect during the Italian Renaissance period. He was employed to create works of art by some of the most wealthy and powerful men of his time, including popes and other high-ranking church officials.

 

His earliest notable sculpture is the Pietà, a depiction of Mary holding Jesus in her arms following his crucifixion. A man claiming to be Jesus reincarnated damaged it in the 1970s. After it was restored it was returned to its place in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and a bulletproof glass shield was installed.

 

Another of his most famous works is the David, a 17-foot statue of David from the Bible who killed the giant Goliath. Unlike many depictions of David, his is meant to portray him before his famous confrontation with Goliath.

 

Although Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor above all else, his most famous masterpiece is the painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican. The ceiling contains 12 important Biblical figures around the border, and the center panels are filled with scenes from Genesis.