ART

Modern Michelangelo

Tissue Engineering is modern sculpture transformed by our understanding of the molecular world

Michelangelo was considered to be one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance.

Born in March of 1475, he grew up in the city-state of Florence in Italy. A painter, architect, and sculptor, his journey with the arts began at the age of 13 as an apprentice to the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. As an apprentice, he began to hone the painting skills that would culminate in his work in the Sistine Chapel. This is also where he met the Medicis; a Florentine banking family and patrons of the arts. In the patronage of Lorenzo de’ Medici, young Michelangelo was able to learn about philosophy and politics, while simultaneously learning from sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni. This catalyzed his love of sculpting and cemented his primary artistic identity as a sculptor.

This is the Creation of Adam portion of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Michelangelo started this project in 1508 and it took him four years to complete. Photo by Calvin Craig on Unsplash

In 1501, at the age of 26, Michelangelo was chosen to commission a sculpture for the Santa Maria cathedral in Florence, Italy.