The Tomb Of Medici

6 Pages 1418 Words

One of the most famous artists ever known since the 16th century is a man by the name of Michelangelo Buonarroti. He has composed art that is both breathtaking and unmatched in such skills as painting, sculpture, architecture and poetry. Some of his most famous works of sculpture that he composed are standing in the Medici Chapel in Florence, Italy even today. I would like to speak of a particular piece contained in the Chapel entitled Tomb of Giuliano de’ Medici. First I would like to say a few words concerning Michelangelo’s financial status for materials and his visions for the figure.
According to the book entitled, Michelangelo: The Complete Sculpture, Painting, and Architecture; “Michelangelo was an aristocratic artist working for the pope and had a nearly unlimited budget in the 1520’s. Michelangelo also had a legendary ability to judge the quality of a block of marble; it was even said that he could see the figure imprisoned in it.”(Pg.213) I think that this quote from author, William E. Wallace, shows a very interesting background in Michelangelo’s finances and genius. He had made numerous life-size statues with handpicked blocks of marble. Wallace also states that some experts believe Michelangelo’s financial backing helped contribute to the beauty of his work. I was not sure how to take that comment at first, but after looking at many of Michelangelo’s sculptures, I think the fact that he was particular about the quality of block which was used shows that he was a master that wanted to depict figures that were unequivocally beautiful, muscular, and harmonious.
The Tomb of Giuliano de’ Medici is an example of Michelangelo’s mastery of both muscular figures as well as composition. The piece was worked on from 1519 through 1534. The piece contains three figures. The elevated central figure in the piece is Giuliano de’ Medici. The niche in which Giuliano sits is very small, which I beli...