What is the Greatest Michelangelo? The 10 Most Iconic Works by the Renaissance Titan, Ranked

[MULTIZ321]

What is the Greatest Michelangelo? The 10 Most Iconic Works by the Renaissance Titan, Ranked
By Margaret Carrigan/ Opinion/ ArtNet/ news.artnet.com

"When it comes to the High Renaissance, Michelangelo Buonarotti (1475-1564) is as high as it gets. A peerless sculptor, expert draftsman, and reluctant but skilled painter, he was not only one of the best-known artists of his day but probably remains one of the best-known artists ever.

He could be a bit of a hot head: His rivalries with Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael are well documented, and he stormed out of the Sistine Chapel in a huff more than once. But he was so good not even this reputation could drag him down. His contemporaries called him Il Divino (“the divine one”) because they deemed his masterful workmanship unparalleled among mere mortals. This nickname inspired the title of the Met’s sprawling exhibition devoted to the artist, “Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer,” opening November 13.

To pay tribute, we surveyed 10 of his most popular works (based on Google Image searches). Here, we rank them according to where we think they stand, critically, as representations of what makes Michelangelo awesome...."

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates baptisms in the Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images.


Richard

 

[jme]

Thanks for your posts, Richard, especially this one. About as interesting and noteworthy as any post could possibly get.
To see again these remarkably beautiful and sublime works of art brought together in one place, along with a brief and interesting
anecdote for each, is simply wonderful and refreshing. To see a ranking of Michelangelo's works is especially interesting, too....
Frankly I have always marveled at #4...."Pieta", because it captures so perfectly such a private and profoundly emotional moment,
perhaps unsurpassed in the world of art.

To say, "Here is Michelangelo...and then there are the others....."
in my mind would be an understatement. His creations were truly almost divine in execution and experience,
to which his peers graciously and rightly confessed.

 

[jlwquilter]

Thanks for the link! I loved walking down memory lane a bit. I've been very fortunate to see 7 out of the 10 listed with my own eyes. And will visit The Met exhibition in a few weeks. For those interested, Bernini is another sculpture with breath taking works. My daughter likes Bernini even better than Michelangelo.

 

[pedro47]

Richard, thanks for that awesome link. All of these Michelangelo works of art are #1 in my book.

 

[KandyM]

Awesome Link! Thanks.