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The age of Renaissance (1300’s-1600’s) was the time line that the dramatized Michelangelo’s artist lifestyle. The Renaissance was begun by the humanist, scholars who studied Greek and Roman literature during medieval times. Their belief was that Classical societies were far more advanced in science, philosophy, art, and literature. Therefore, they felt it was their duty was to gather this information in order to modernize Europe. The most influential Renaissance study was art, because the Holy Roman Empire found it to be appealing and realistic, thus easier for the Empire to relate to it’s people.
Much of what appeared in Irving Stone’s biographical novel of the life of Michelangelo (1475-1564) was of the author’s invention, but few will dispute that the artist painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which is the subject of Carol Reed’s film “THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY“(1965). It traces Michelangelo Buonarroti life from age 13 to his death at 89, but deals mainly with the five years (1507-1512) during which he painted the Sistine Chapel. Pope Julius II (1443-1513) had commissioned the work in the hope that it would s
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You have believed what’s fabulous and false,
And let truth’s enemy have your reward. One of the most accurate events occurred, when Michelangelo nearly went blind when lead based paint fell in his eyes while he was painting the Sistine Chapel. ”
This sonnet compares Michelangelo’s relationship to Julius II, as Julius II’s relationship is to God and country.
The relationship between the Pope and Michelangelo, relating to the wide spectrum of European affairs involving religious unification, is best demonstrated, by the artist’s sonnet to Julius II
“If any ancient proverb’s true, my Lord,
This is the one, that those who can, don’t wish. Thus the conflict between the Pope and Michelangelo, which arises from the threats the artist receives from Julius II, many of which resulted in the decommissioning and recommissioning of the Sistine Chapel. The agony is contributed to Pope Julius’ backbreaking treatment of Michelangelo, in contrast ecstasy was the result of the completion of his immortal art work. erve as an immortal symbol of his painstaking work, which is the source of an ongoing war of words between them. However the film poorly depicted his dissatisfaction towards people and his fear of celebrity hunters that made him live a hermits lifestyle. On the other hand, Michelangelo was afforded the opportunity to leave the war-torn Rome and flee to Turkey to due work for the Saltion. In the last metaphor “Give us a dry tree to pluck our fruit” is symbolism of the lack of payment the artist received and related to the Holy unrest of the Pope’s warring plight in Europe.
An account of one of Michelangelo’s sonnets refers to Julius as a “Medusa” due to the lack of payment he received for his art work and the commissioning of the Sistine Chapel , which he did not want to paint.
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