Class began with discussing the work of Michelangelo, a true “uomo universale,” renaissance man. Throughout the high renaissance, he was a painter, engineer, and poet, but was most famed as a sculptor. One of his most known sculptures is his version of the Pietá, sculpted from marble and waxed to an incredible smoothness. The scene of Mary holding Christ’s body after his death is depicted by just the two of them and focuses on their emotional connection. A young, serene Mary looks down on her grown son across her lap. The pyramidal composition of the structure allows this to be possible, with flowing fabric from Mary’s outfit creating the pedestal. Even Christ appears to have had a quiet death, with barely visible wounds from his crucifixion. Overall, Mary’s expression of faith and peace gives the sculpture the sense of harmony and balance that was desired throughout the Renaissance.
In the late Renaissance, Mannerism became a popular style and saw the evolution of Michelangelo as an artist. His work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel saw him experimenting with materials and creating a sense of 3D space with pillars and overlapping characters. Even today, visitors to the chapel spend most of their time staring at the ceiling to appreciate Michelangelo’s scenes of The Creation. As for Mannerism, it focuses less on ideal depictions of reality and influenced scenes without harmony, abstraction, and serpentine forms. The Rape of the Sabines is a famous example of the skill of the era but also the twisting of human forms that was popular.