“I live in sin, to kill myself I live; no longer my life my own, but sin’s; my good is given to me by heaven, my evil by myself, by my free will, of which I am deprived.”   Michelangelo

On March 6, 1475 Michelangelo Buonarroti, was born in the small town of Caprese. He grew up in the town of Florence and at the age of 13, his talent as an artist was apparent.  For two years beginning in 1490, he lived in the Medici palace, where he was a student of the sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni. He was a student of ancient Roman statuary.  His talent as a sculpter allowed him to be commissioned at the age of 23 to undertake the task of creating THE PIETA.

It’s no wonder that this small man had hands gnarled by arthritis at a young age.  Imagine the strength required to cut into solid marble with minimal tools.

This artist of the Renaissance was not only prolific in sculpture, but also known for his paintings, murals and frescoes, including the beautiful Biblical scenes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Later in life he was an architect as well as a poet – a true artist in every sense of the word and yet a faithful servant of the Lord.  His huge body of work can be seen in churches and museums throughout Italy. His stunning poetry also shows honor to His God.  He lived to the ripe old age of 88, which was quite astonishing for his day.  He left the world a wonderful legacy and tribute to his Savior.

He was considered the greatest artist of the Renaissance period and possiby of all time.  Most artists don’t receive acclaim in their lifetimes, but Michelangelo made a substantial living at his trade.  In spite of his wealth, he lived like a pauper, rarely eating enough to survive and often sleeping in his clothes and boots.  He might have been considered as a loner as well.  When the Sistine Chapel had to be repainted, because of a fungus in the plaster, he insisted on doing the work himself, citing incompetent workers.  He had very few friends and he liked it that way.

The volume of masterpiece he created in his lifetime is amazing.  He brought realism to art, concentrating on the human body and all its muscles and sinews. He studied anatomy by dissecting the human body and drawing sketches of the muscles and bones.  He, along with da Vinci, were in agreement that study of anatomy was crucial to doing great art.

Using this knowledge, he was able to create lifelike sculptures because he knew what lay beneath the surface.  It takes a real artist/scientist to accomplish that.  It takes a loving God to look within the person and through the blessing of his Son, Jesus, see us free from iniquity.  Michelangelo was a servant of God and continued to be so throughout his long life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MICK!