Michelangelo portrait
Michelangelo Bonarolti (1475-1564) was one of the greatest artists in history – although he lived like an ascetic. He was called "sacred" and "fearsome" by later generations, but there are also books that record that he was a straight-tempered, violent temper, and a melancholy type of person. However, if you want to know the real Michelangelo, you have to find out from his artistic creations and poems.
Recurring themes
Although Michelangelo's family lineage was small, his childhood was quite bumpy. He lost his mother at the age of 6, and his father was very dismissive of his penchant for carving and painting, believing that he was "not doing his job" – at that time, the social status of the artist was not high, and he was only a craftsman. However, his father finally compromised.
Michelangelo was most influenced by 3 people in his lifetime. One was that his father often spurred him on for money and complained to him. One is the ruler of Florence, the "great" Lorenzo de' Medici. The Medici valued his talents, raised him in the palace, let him be well educated by humanities and arts, and laid the artistic foundation for his life. The 3rd place was Julius II. The Pope, known as the "Great Talent", greatly valued his artistic achievements.
Michelangelo's favorite tools were chisels and hammers for carving. He was easy to use and seemed to be a "special function" given to him by God.
Mourn Christ
Throughout his life, two creative themes were repeated over and over again, an expression of his inner beliefs. One theme is the scene of the Virgin Mary mourning the Child, and the other is the crucifixion and crucifixion of Jesus. These works were not commissioned, nor were they made for money, but were made for himself, in order to achieve inner peace, so they became more precious.
In 1493, he made a wooden cross and gave it to a Catholic church in Florence. Jesus on this cross is naked. This is very much in line with the biblical record, because "they divided my garment and cast lots for my underwear." (John 19:24, Psalm 22:18)
Perfection of "body" and "spirituality"
Michelangelo was exposed to the Reformation ideas of the priests of Safnarola at a young age. The Priests of Sabourna Lola strongly opposed the absurd corruption of the Holy See (including the Pope) and criticized the abuse of power by the Medici family of Florence. He preached the truth of "justification by faith" (before the Conversion). These remarks had a profound impact on the growing Michelangelo, who throughout his life sought not only "physical perfection" but also "spiritual perfection."
Politically, he was influenced by the priests of Safnarola and gradually transformed into a pro-Florent republic. He also served as chief engineer of the Florence Defense Until 1529-1530, when the republic was suppressed by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Pope Clement VII.
When Michelangelo was about 60 years old, he was surrounded by a group of very devout intellectuals who pursued more spiritual beliefs. Two of them were particularly close to him, one was Kavalierre and the other was the poetess Corona. They had a very significant impact on his faith and his life. According to historical data, both of them were intellectuals of high moral character and had family roots.
Left: Jesus crucified with Mary and the apostle John
Right: Jesus crucified
Michelangelo and Corona exchanged many poems, which were probably his best creations. He also gave Corona several charcoal drawings, one of which was The Crucifixion of Jesus. It is one of his many drawings on the theme of the Crucifixion of Jesus. Giving it to a close friend means even more. The skeleton under the cross represents that this event took place in Calvary in calvary.
His small oil painting The Crucifixion of Jesus with Mary and John was identified as authentic by two art historians in 2010. The painting, which has the same theme as the charcoal painting he gave to Corona, describes a passage from the Bible
Jesus saw his mother, and he saw the disciple he loved standing nearby, and he said to her, "Mother, look! Your son. Then he said to the disciple, "Look! Your mother. From then on, the disciple took her into his house. (cf. John 19:25-26)
To help the viewer meditate, all backgrounds are omitted, leaving only the two grieving angels in the rear.
Verses on the cross
Corona belonged to a reformed Catholic group called "spirituality." Their voice is quite large, advocating "justification by faith". Unfortunately, he was later condemned as a heretic by the "Inquisition" and many were executed. Corona's own beliefs were Christ-centered (rather than the Virgin), a shift that influenced Michelangelo's later beliefs.
At that time, the Catholic Church did not allow "laymen" (non-clergy) to read the Bible. However, according to Michelangelo's friend and biographer Ascanio Condivi: "Michelangelo studied the Old and New Testaments very carefully and also read the writings of biblical scholars, including Safnarola." He had great reverence for the priest of Safnarola, and information about Safnarola influenced his life. ”
Another painting that Michelangelo gave to Corona is that the Virgin, with the help of two angels, removes Jesus from the cross and prepares to be placed in the tomb. In this painting, Mary is no longer the center of the painting, but the wounded Jesus is.
On the cross in the painting, there is a quote from Dante's Divine Comedy heaven: "They do not consider the cost of how much blood they shed." Dante's original meaning was the blood of a martyr, which Michelangelo used to express the idea of the Reformists within the Catholic Church that salvation comes from the blood of Christ.
Historian Nagel notes the significance of the word "price" as a reminder of the difference between Jesus' priceless, free grace and the church's prevailing claim that salvation was earned through prayer, good works, and indulgences.
Partial chart of Genesis
Be aware of your flaws
As he grew older, Michelangelo became more aware of his flaws and questioned his early fascination with "ideal beauty" and "the greatness of mankind." He gradually focused his attention on the sacrifice that represented Christ's atonement. In a poem from the last stage of his life, he wrote:
Dear God, only you build and tear down
Your blood not only purifies but also heals the soul
Humanity is saved from endless sins
What people see may be Michelangelo's extraordinary achievements, but he sees his own imperfections and God's favor. For Michelangelo, his faith was not to "rush to bear witness," but to make him feel humble and grateful.
I think that the only "sacred" place for him is that in the life of the stars and the moon, he can recognize his own imperfections, his own unsalty, and realize that all talents are gifts from God. Such a mentality of the master could not help but make me awe-inspired.
Transferred from Overseas Campus No. 118
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