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The Early Modern World, C. 1300–1600

High Renaissance in Italy

Who was Michelangelo?

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) was a multitalented Great Master of the High Renaissance known for his painting, sculpture, and architecture. He had an incredibly long and successful career, active for nearly seventy years. He was twenty years younger than da Vinci and well respected during his lifetime, though notorious for being moody and difficult to work with. He was one of the first artists in art history to be famous: two biographies were written about him and he was highly sought after by high-status patrons, including Lorenzo de’Medici and the pope. His most famous works include his painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and his awe-inspiring sculptures such as the Pietà (which he made when he was twenty-four years old) and the David. He also designed the dome on St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, though he died before its construction was completed.



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