Michelangelo Buonarroti

By mariafitian
  • Jun 19, 1440

    Invention of the Printing Press

    Invention of the Printing Press
    The printing press was invented in 1440 and revolutionized the distribution of literature. The printing press was a device invented by a man named Gutenberg. His first printed material was the Bible. This piece of technology made it easier for people to read and write a variety of literature. Because of this, people now had easier access to become educated and this led to people becoming more advanced and sharing more thoughts and ideas.
  • Apr 20, 1453

    The Ottoman Empire Takes Over Greece

    The Ottoman Empire Takes Over Greece
    From 1453 until 1821, the Greeks are rules by the Ottoman empire. The Ottomans ruled much of the Middle East as well as the Balkans. The capture of Greece is just one example of the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Under their rule, Greeks had little to no rights, making it a miserable life. This event is important in history because it shows the rise of the Ottoman Empire and the fall of the Greek empire (History of GreeceThe Ottoman Period).
  • Oct 19, 1453

    The Hundred Years War Ends

    The Hundred Years War Ends
    On this day, the Hundred Years War between England and France ended. The Battle of Castillon was the last battle fought in the war and was won by the French. Although the war strengthened the sense of national identity in both countries, it also led to many unfortunate events like a loss of population and instability.
  • Mar 6, 1475

    Birth

    Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475 in Caprese, Italy to Lodovico Buonarroti and Francesca di Neri di Miniato del Sera and was the second of five sons (Barter 70).
  • Period: Aug 16, 1490 to Apr 8, 1492

    Battle of the Centaurs

    Inspired by Greek culture, this sculpture displays a mass of bodies fighting one another. It is one of Michelangelo's most early works, hinting at his artistic abilities at such a young age. This sculpture is important in the development of the artist's future and shows his deep interest in Greek mythology that is also evident in his later pieces (Michelangelo Buonarroti) (Fernández Arenas 57).
  • Sep 16, 1492

    Christopher Columbus Discovers America

    Christopher Columbus Discovers America
    This great and well known sailor during the time of the Renaissance sailed to find a western passage to India. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean, landing in the Bahamas. He originally thought he was in India. This revolutionized exploration and discovery. It led to a massive movement of explorers moving west in order to claim new land for their country. This changed the geography of the world as well as led to a multitude of new ideas and discovery (Columbus).
  • Period: Jul 8, 1499 to May 21, 1500

    "Pietà"

    Within the years of 1499 and 1500, Michelangelo, under the commission of the cardinal of commission, created the "Pietà", meaning "pity" which depicts Mary, the Mother of God, looking down at her son who had just been removed from the cross with affectionate despair. The piece showed so much talent at such a young age and by focusing on the fundamentals of humanism, he displayed the ideas of the Renaissance (Santini 18).
  • Apr 21, 1500

    Portugal Claims Brazil

    Portugal Claims Brazil
    In this year, explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in Brazil and claimed it for Portugal. Their colonial situation was much different from other colonies. The people there were very old fashioned and had little use to the Portuguese. The country still gained wealth from the colony however. This claim led to the colony of Brazil and later to the modern day country and its language and culture.
  • Period: Mar 15, 1501 to Aug 31, 1504

    "David"

    In 1501, Michelangelo was commissioned and began the sculpting of "David". This eighteen foot tall giant is heavily muscled, with a truculent stare showing confidence and courage, like a warrior, which contradicts the biblical description of him. However the heroic figure reflects on the Renaissance ideas of the time and expressed the idealism of the human body (Barter 74).
  • Sep 11, 1501

    First Black Slaves brought to American Island of Santo Domingo

    First Black Slaves brought to American Island of Santo Domingo
    During this time, slavery was just beginning in America. The first slaves were brought over and this was a catastrophe to the Americas and brought the ideas of racism and began the torture and death of thousands of innocent slaves. This first use of slaves led to the use of millions and dehumanized the people brought to America (Scarano).
  • Period: Mar 5, 1508 to Sep 21, 1512

    The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

    Pope Julius II wanted Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and although hesitant, the artist agreed, continually reminding the pope that he was a sculptor, not a painter. In the paintings, he depicts nine major themes of the Old Testament. These paintings showed Michelangelo's multimedia skill, changed the thoughts of the people around him, especially about the appearance of God, and told stories in the Bible to those who couldn't read (Barter 75) (Fernández Arenas 63-65).
  • Period: Feb 19, 1513 to Oct 10, 1515

    Moses

    The sculpture was made for the tomb of Pope Julius II. It is shown sitting down with the ten commandments in his hands. Michelangelo captures the energy of the statue with his stormy eyes and the way his arms and legs are placed, as if he is about to rise. But the most notable feature is the horns on top of his head, as a result of a mistranslation. "Moses" to many gave a sense of prophetic duty and the desire to fulfill God's will. This inspired people to become more religious (Coughlan 87).
  • Period: Dec 6, 1520 to Apr 17, 1533

    The Medici Chapel

    This was the first architectural work by Michelangelo that was built. The tombs were built for the dukes Giuliano of Nemours and Lorenzo of Urbino. On opposite walls in the chapel, statues of the dukes sit in niches and below them are their coffins on top of which lie four figures: Night, Day, Dawn, and Dusk, who represent the passing of time, and leading to death. The work shows Michelangelo's ideas and paves the way for new architectural ideas to follow (Fernández Arenas 43) (Gilbert).
  • Period: Sep 16, 1536 to Apr 7, 1541

    The Last Judgement

    This painting covers the wall behind the Sistine Chapel. It is a moving depiction of the second coming of Christ. Over three hundred figures are shown, all having different roles. Some are angels, others are demons, some are elected to go to heaven, others are damned to hell. The great artwork is full of symbolism like the sins of the world but is primarily about Christ. The art caused great debates and was a huge factor in influencing the thoughts of Renaissance people about death (Camera).
  • Period: Jan 18, 1547 to Sep 22, 1564

    Saint Peter's Basilica

    Also known as "The Dome", Saint Peter's Basilica was another one of Michelangelo's great architectural projects. He was chief architect of the project with the assistance of others as well. The dome is 265 feet high and 190 feet in diameter. It also has a double calotte and columns alone the lower base supporting its heavy weight. Because of Michelangelo's great architectural work, this dome was used as a model for other domes later on the in the century (Gilbert) (Santini 89).
  • Feb 18, 1564

    Death

    Michelangelo died on February 18, 1564 in Florence Italy after suffering from a high fever. He was surrounded by few friends at this time (Barter 83-84).