Michelangelo

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Please see response attached, which is also presented below. I also attached a supporting article on the life of Michelangelo (1475-1564).

RESPONSE:

1. Can any one tell me what basic contribution Michelangelo Buonarroti made to the Catholic religion? I know he painted the Sistine Chapel for the Pope but did he make any contributions to the catholic faith. He is one of the greatest and most popular artists in history. But I really need help with his contribution to the Catholic faith part.

Indeed, Michelangelo Buonarroti is a famous artist. And, as an artist he was unmatched, the creator of works of sublime beauty that express the full breadth of the human condition. Yet in a world where art flourished only with patronage, Michelangelo was caught between the conflicting powers and whims of the Medici family in Florence, and the Papacy in Rome. Unlike many artists of his time, his genius was recognized (e.g., Pope) but at what cost to his personal life? (See Example 4 below)http://www.michelangelo.com/buon/bio-index2.html

However, Michelangelo's main contribution to the Catholic religion and faith was through his art. His art contributed to the Catholic faith through the vivid depiction of religious themes of apostles, the Virgin Mary, angels and biblical characters, which were indeed the basis of the Catholic religion and faith. In a sense, Michelangelo's contribution was about giving the Catholic people of faith a glorious pictorial representation depicting their faith and beliefs through vivid pictures of religious themes and Biblical characters.

In fact, Michelangelo's temper was proverbial. It seems that Pope Julius II had told Sebastiano del Piombo that he "is Terrible, as you see, you can do nothing with him." In fact all the sources refer to his brusque and rude manners, his difficult character, his touchiness and intransigence, and the difficulties that he often had in his relations with others. He had no pupils, nor constant collaborators, and always used boys from the workshop as his assistants. http://www.michelangelo.com/buon/bio-index2.html So, his initial influence was not really at the personal level of influence, because, for example, for the Cistine Ceiling, he was actually summoned by the Pope, who recognized his artistic talent. Art was indeed Michelangelo's passion. In fact, Michelangelo also did pagan art (Example 1 below), alongside Christian art (Example 2, 3, and 4). ...