Michelangelo's Zeal for Defying the Research Paper

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His loyal servant, Urbino, died too in 1556. Though he was known for his temperamental temper, tagged as the terrible Michelangelo, no friends or companions, had complexity in dealing with others and only used boys as his assistants, his desire to glorify and serve God through his works was insurmountable.

His solitude reflects his attitude to be wholly absorbed and engrossed with his craft, sacrificing even his personal happiness for the divine gift of his art. Indeed, he was quoted as saying, "I am here in great distress and with great physical strain, and have no friends of any kind, nor do I want them; and I do not have enough time to eat as much as I need; my joy and my sorrow / my repose are these discomforts." (Morgan Library 2010).

B. Success of visual effects

The success of visual effects used by Michelangelo was boundless. His works of art were recognized as works of a genius and was considered the greatest influence on western art in the last five centuries. He was unparalleled at his time and flourished in rendering his divine gift of art in the service of the Catholic Church. His works such as The Last Judgment, statue of David and the paintings in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel signify visual effects that convey messages to the viewers. In the case of the statue of David, some believed that the subject was projected as preparing for battle as evidenced by the bulging veins in David's hand and the twisting of his nude body but there are some who think that the statue projects moments after his victory over Goliath as there seem a discreet smile on his face while holding the rock in his left hand. 'It later became the symbol of defending the civic liberties of the Florentine Republic against more powerful states and the Medici family' (Sharp 1991).

Of Michelangelo's visual arts, his indispensable penchant for male nude beauty is evident as most of his subjects in paintings and sculptures are viewed in nudity. Though it was a common knowledge that Michelangelo was attracted to them emotionally, still there are reasons behind that nudity over the issue of his homosexuality. He wanted to glorify God by making a masterpiece out of the true image of God's highest creation. Michelangelo was akin with the symmetry and body language of the human body and he used this to convey imaginative messages. In The Last Judgment, the message was the saints will rise to eternal while the sinners and the evil will go down the damnation.

III. Beyond Borders

Michelangelo's works are now inspiring several people around the world. With advances in the information technology, detailed information on the world's masterpieces is now freely available to the masses and therefore, people can attain information as and when required. Modern architecture in Iran is realizing the importance of experimentation and is gaining inspiration from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, in addition to their conventional Islamic Architecture (Kamran 21).

Centuries have passed since Michelangelo's demise. Nevertheless, the works of art and wonder he has left behind for people to note, continue to inspire and influence art and architecture, and will continue to do so for times to come for time immemorial since his ideas and intellect bestow several inspiring focuses on a multitude of arenas including architecture.

A. How Michelangelo's work influenced many states?

It is established that Michelangelo's paintings and sculptures have visual effects that convey messages to its viewers. The works are universal in nature so the messages conveyed do not just affect the people of Florence but all the people in the world who believe that there's judgment day, there's David and all the other saints and sinners in the Holy Scriptures. The statue of David influences all in the people in the world who were reminded to be alert, unify and develop a heroic courage in confronting threats. The statue reminds the viewers that the inner spiritual strength can be more powerful than arms, same thing that prayers and faith of God have helped David in conquering Goliath. It also serves as a warning to future tyrants to beware because there's a David inside every citizen in the world ready to fight back if provoked. With the 'statue of David, Michelangelo proved his contemporaries that he not only surpassed all modern artists but also the Greeks and Romans by infusing formal beauty with powerful expressiveness and meaning' (Soden & Longair 2006).

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Michelangelo's Pieta paintings affect all the mothers across cultures. It is inherent in every mother to love and care for their children and in Pieta, this feeling was perfectly conveyed. Pieta which means pity shows how a mother (Mary) grieves over the death of her son, in this case, Jesus Christ. Moreover, the works of Michelangelo in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel showcased his expertise in painting nine scenes from the Old Testament including the Creation of the world, Adam and Eve and Noah. These works influence all other states outside Rome who believe in the Holy Scriptures and Christianity.

IV. Future Generations Inspired

As explained earlier in the paper, Michelangelo's works of art are of utmost inspiration, and have been for over a number of years, for the architects and designers. Not only that but also that these designs and wonders of art are of such timeless inspiration, that future will be inspired from them as well.

His physical and intellectual ideas in his arts and pieces of wonder were sought out in every movement and medium of expression. His favorite topics included the human anatomy and this was portrayed in several forms including doors and walls, in which muscular tension and parts of the human body were portrayed in several forms of architectural design (Barnes 1). Mannerism and the late renaissance art are two major facets that show the influence of Michelangelo's art work. This was the period, in the mid 16th century, when it was a reactionary to the Renaissance, and several splits had taken place, including in religion (Barnes 2).

A. Michelangelo's influence to his younger peers

It is a fact that Michelangelo was a loner in his youth and even known to possess rough, impolite manners, and no pupils or constant collaborators. But because of his explicit mastery of the art that he developed an impact on younger artists who came across with his successive styles. The impact was enormous but tended to be devastating in the long run. Michelangelo influenced Peter Paul Rubens and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, known to be the great baroque artists of the next century. Unfortunately, the two found it more fruitful to study Michelangelo's ideas at a distance to ensure their artistic independence. There are also those who were influenced and were made to complete the unfinished works of Michelangelo after his death. Domenico Fontana and Giacomo della Porta completed the Greekcross plan and the great dome after Michelangelo's passing. Annibale Carracci also transformed one of the lazy young nude male figures in Ignudo of Michelangelo's Sistine chapel into a devious-like character.

It was Michelangelo's expressive use and manipulative knowledge of the human anatomy that brought tremendous influence on his contemporaries and younger generation. 'There was not a major Italian sculptor of the 16th century whose style was not formed under the influence of or in direct reaction against him like Bandinelli' (The Artchive). All his professional life, it was the habit of Michelangelo to get boys to serve as his general servants, doing all the household and running errands and at the same time help in the art work during free time to learn. Among those who succeed are Pietro Urbano, Antonio Mini, and Francesco d' Amadore, also called Urbino who later became his trusted friend until Urbino's death.

B. Michelangelo continues to influence architecture

Michelangelo's commissioned work from the Leo X to design a facade of the Medici parish church in Florence did not push through but this led to the creation of his two earliest architectural masterpieces -- the Medici funerary chapel and the Laurentian Library. Though the 2 were also not finished, the funerary chapel was intended to be a combination of architecture and sculpture which can house the tombs of the four members of the Medici family. 'The idea was that looking from the altar, moving past the tombs, one's gaze would be directed by the gaze of the tomb figures who turns towards the far wall and the Madonna holding upon her lap the Christ child, whose sacrifice had made possible the Resurrection of the soul of the faithful to everlasting life -- the climax to the iconographical program of the mausoleum' (The Artchive). Only 2 tombs were finished and the Madonna and Child was also only half done. 'Beneath the seated figure of Giuliano are reclining figures of Day and Night and beneath that of Lorenzo is the….....

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