Michelangelo biography facts for kids

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, or more commonly known by his first name Michelangelo (6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), was born in Caprese, known today as Caprese Michelangelo, a small town situated in Valtiberina, near Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy.

Michelangelo is widely regarded as the most famous artist of the Italian Renaissance. He was the archetype Renaissance artist; accomplished as a sculptor, painter, architect and poet. Michelangelo produced iconic works across disciplines throughout the 88 years of his life. Many of Michelangelo’s works are still among the world’s most recognized and appreciated art ever created.

See the fact file below for more information on Michelangelo or alternatively, you can download our 28-page Michelangelo worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Early Life and Interests

• For several generations, his family had been small-scale bankers in Florence, but the bank failed. When Michelangelo was born, his father, Leonardo di Buonarroti Simoni, was briefly serving as a magistrate in the village of Caprese. The family returned to Florence when Michelangelo was still an infant.
• “If there is some good in me, it is because I was born in the subtle atmosphere of your country of Arezzo. Along with the milk of my nurse I received the knack of handling chisel and hammer, with which I make my figures.” — Michelangelo
• His mother, Francesca Neri, fell ill and after her death in 1481 (when he was six years old), Michelangelo lived with a n

Engraved portrait of Michelangelo  ©Michelangelo was a painter, sculptor, architect and poet and one of the great artists of the Italian Renaissance.

Michelangelo Buonarroti was born on 6 March 1475 in Caprese near Florence (Italy) where his father was the local magistrate. A few weeks after his birth, the family moved to Florence. In 1488, Michelangelo was apprenticed to the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. He then lived in the household of Lorenzo de' Medici, the leading patron of the arts in Florence.

After the Medici were expelled from Florence, Michelangelo travelled to Bologna and then, in 1496, to Rome. His primary works were sculpture in these early years. His 'Pietà' (1497) made his name and he returned to Florence a famous sculptor. Here he produced his 'David' (1501-1504).

In 1505, Pope Julius II summoned Michelangelo back to Rome and commissioned him to design Julius' own tomb. Due to quarrels between Julius and Michelangelo, and the many other demands on the artist's time, the project was never completed, although Michelangelo did produce a sculpture of Moses for the tomb.

Michelangelo's next major commission was the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican (1508-1512). It was recognised at once as a great work of art and from then on Michelangelo was regarded as Italy's greatest living artist.

The new pope, Leo X, then commissioned Michelangelo to rebuild the façade of the church of San Lorenzo in Florence. The scheme was eventually abandoned, but it marks the beginning of Michelangelo's activity as an architect. Michelangelo also designed monuments to Giuliano and Lorenzo de' Medici in the Medici Chapel in San Lorenzo.

In 1534, Michelangelo returned to Rome where he was commissioned to paint 'The Last Judgement' on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel (1537-1541). From 1546 he was increasingly active as an architect, in particular on the great church of St Peter's. He died in Rome on 18 February 1564.

This article is about an ItalianRenaissancepainter and sculptor. For other uses, see Michelangelo (disambiguation).

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo, was an ItalianRenaissancepainter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer. Along with Leonardo da Vinci, he is often called a "Renaissance man" which means that he had great talent in many areas.

Michelangelo lived an extremely busy life, creating a great number of artworks. Some of Michelangelo's works are among the most famous that have ever been made. They include two very famous marble statues, the Pieta in Saint Peter's Basilica and David which once stood in a piazza in Florence but is now in the Accademia Gallery. His most famous paintings are huge frescos, the Sistine Chapel Ceiling and the Last Judgement. His most famous work of architecture is the east end and dome of Saint Peter's Basilica.

A lot is known about Michelangelo's life because he left many letters, poems and journals. Because he was so famous, he became the very first artist to have his biography (story of his life) published while he was still living. His biographer, Giorgio Vasari, said that he was the greatest artist of the Renaissance. He was sometimes called Il Divino ("the divine one"). Other artists said that he had terribilità, (his works were so grand and full of strong emotion that they were scary). Many other artists who saw his work tried to have the same emotional quality. From this idea of terribilità came a style of art called Mannerism.

Biography

Childhood

Michelangelo was born on 6 March 1475 in Caprese near Arezzo, Tuscany. His father was Lodovico di Leonardo di Buonarroti di Simoni, and his mother was Francesca di Neri del Miniato di Siena. The Buonarrottis were a banking family from Florence. They claimed they were descended from the noble Countess Matilda of Canossa. Michelangelo's father had lost most of th

You probably know Michelangelo Buonarroti as one of the greatest artists of all time. During his extraordinary career, he sculpted the Pietà in Rome, the David in Florence, painted the Sistine Chapel’s ceilings, and even designed the dome for St. Peter’s Basilica, among other achievements. But behind this world-famous artist was a man full of fascinating quirks and surprising talents.

Here are 8 surprising facts about Michelangelo that showcase the complexity of this Renaissance genius.

01. He was a world-renowned sculptor, painter, architect and….poet?

Yup, we’ve all seen his painting and sculpting, but one of the lesser known facts about Michelangelo was that he was a prolific writer as well. He wrote hundreds of letters and poems, more than 300 of which still exist today. The poetry is pretty suggestive, discussing love, lust, and ecstasy, as well as spirituality, loyalty and the human soul.

02. He was a forger

Ok, he wasn’t a habitual counterfeiter, but it is one of the more intriguing facts about Michelangelo. He probably got his start in 1496 from copying an ancient Roman sculpture called Sleeping Cupid and passing it off as an original. After completing the reproduction, he buried the statue underground then dug it up to give it a worn, scratched look.

Whether from the suggestion of his patron, Lorenzo de Medici, or of his own accord, he ended up selling the piece to Cardinal Riario for a large sum. Though shocking for us today, in the past art forgery, or, uh, embellishment, wasn’t quite as frowned upon (it meant that the artist was so good he could copy the greats!) and the sly act ultimately helped the young Michelangelo launch is career.

03. He wasn’t originally chosen to complete the Sistine Chapel

At the time of Michelangelo’s rise, it was Raphael who was the hot