Renowned Christian theologian Francis Schaeffer wrote in his book Art and the Bible, “Art is a reflection of God’s creativity, an evidence that we are made in the image of God.”
This, perhaps, represents the true beauty of art: at its’ core, art reflects something of the essence of being in harmony with our Creator. The goal is not contained within the statue, painting, poem, or writing but rather reminding our frail human hearts to transcend earthly ties.
The work of Renaissance artist Michelangelo’s work reflects this approach. His lifetime of work demonstrated Schaeffer’s view that “A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God, not just as tracts, mind you, but as things of beauty to the praise of God. An art work can be a doxology in itself.”
As one who encountered the statue of David in person, writer Tom McGrath wrote,
“... the ideal he [David statue] embodies that I seek is his poise: his inner balance of head, heart, and guts. It seems to me that in our society, way too often, these three elements in men operate completely separately. With no one at the central controls.
David comes across as a man who knows his own power and where that power comes from—the heart of Yahweh.” — (Tom McGrath, “Waiting for God.” U.S. Catholic 66.9 (2001): 50–50)
Key Events in Michelangelo’s Life
Born in 1475 in Caprese, Italy, Michelangelo Buonarroti and his parents moved to Florence shortly after birth. His father worked as a government administrator. Michelangelo didn’t do well in school, preferring to sketch and paint. Perhaps this trait signifies his strength in artistry rather than a weakness for academics. Creatives sometimes struggle to focus on factual data when their minds are filled with creativity calling out for expression.
In 1481, when Michelangelo was six years old, his mother died.
In 1488, at 13, Michelangelo acquired an apprenticeship with the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. The next year, his father persuaded Ghirlandaio to pay Michelangelo as an artist, which was extremely rare for a 14-year-old. The apprenticeship lasted until 1492, giving Michelangelo a depth of opportunity and training that likely set the course of his future.
Ten years later, in 1498, Michelangelo sculpted the Pieta (Italian for pity or compassion), a work signifying the lamentation of Christ’s death. The Pieta would be so successful that it helped launch Michelangelo’s career.
In 1504, Michelangelo finished his sculpture of the statue of David. This cemented Michelangelo’s reputation as one of the greats of his time, alongside artists like Da Vinci (though Da Vinci was 20 years his senior and already well-established)
From 1536-1541, Michelangelo worked on painting the Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel. He completed this work and unveiled it in 1541.
Michelangelo died on February 18, 1564, at the age of 88. Though no definitive cause of his death diagnosis is recorded, it’s believed Michelangelo’s death was related to kidney disease. The Michelangelo Gallery states, “In 1549 Michelangelo was diagnosed and treated for nephrolithiasis, or kidney stones, a problem that plagued him for the rest of his life.”
What Kind of Humanist Was Michelangelo?
When Christians hear the term “humanism,” it often evokes a negative response. Modern humanism excludes God and all spirituality, treating the supernatural as subordinate, unnecessary, and basically fantasy. This worldview demands that all answers to life’s greatest questions come from science alone, holding humanity as the highest order of being for determining morality.
This was not the case with Renaissance Humanism, which originated and thrived during Michelangelo’s time. Renaissance Humanism (1400-1580) and began in Italy. It focused on Greek philosophy and classical thinking. Human reasoning took high priority, not necessarily excluding God.
As a product of his cultural times and training, yet a Christian, Michelangelo’s humanist approach led to creating works of art highlighting humanity but reflecting God’s glory as the Creator. The precise detail of his statues demonstrates his appreciation for the God-designed human body. Michelangelo puts humans as the center of attention in most of his work, yet his work and words specifically reflect the Creator over the creation.
It is not impossible to separate Michelangelo’s belief in God to suggest today’s form of humanism.
What Did Michelangelo Write about Christianity?
Biographies, articles, and countless websites provide specific quotes of Michelangelo demonstrating his thinking and faith. Following are a few. You can find the following quotes online and in various books.
“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection. Only God creates. The rest of us copy.”
“For those who feel it, nothing makes the soul so religious and pure as the endeavor to create something perfect; for God is perfection, and whoever drives after it, is driving after something divine. True painting is only the image of the perfection of God, a shadow of the pencil with which he paints, a melody, a striving after harmony.”
“Do not fret, for God did not create us to abandon us.”
“I serve for the love of God and in Him have all my hope.”
“I live in sin, to kill myself I live; no longer my life my own, but sin’s; my good is given to me by heaven, my evil by myself, by my free will, of which I am deprived.”
Perhaps the most telling quote summing Michelangelo’s faith appears in a letter to his nephew Leonardo: “Many believe—and I believe—that I have been designated for this work by God. In spite of my old age, I do not want to give it up; I work out of love for God and I put all of my hope in Him.”
Many of these quotes and others can be found in the book Complete Poems and Selected Letters of Michelangelo.
What Made Michelangelo’s Sistine Painting So Famous?
Dan Graves tells the story of the painting’s tumultuous process:
“All of Rome waited in expectation. For months, Michelangelo Buonarroti had worked in secret. Curiosity was aflame. What had he accomplished? Had he succeeded in transferring his skill as a sculptor to work with fresco (paint in plaster)?
Pope Julius II, as impatient as ever, demanded that Michelangelo unveil the ceiling of the Sistine chapel although it was far from done. High on the scaffolding, his face just inches from the ceiling, paint dripping into his eyes, Michelangelo had completed only the central vault.
Julius prevailed. Down came the scaffold, erected with such labor. On this day, November 1, 1509, the public surged into the chapel to see what Michelangelo had wrought.
Painters could only gape in astonishment. Michelangelo, who had earlier revolutionized sculpture, now did the same with painting. His nine groups of stories from Genesis stole the breath of contemporaries. He made his figures seem to be in perspective and distributed them across the vault with an astonishing inner rhythm to tell the stories of creation, the fall of man, and sacred history. (Years later, he added the Last Judgment to the wall behind the altar.) His rivals immediately began to ape his techniques.
Michelangelo infused much of his art with Christian feeling. An admirer of the reformer Savonarola, his sonnets show that he genuinely desired to know God and considered himself unworthy of him:
O my dear God, matched with the much I owe
All that I am were no real recompense:
Paying a debt is not munificence.
Although he had flaws of temper, Michelangelo’s art and life reveal an individual concerned for God’s glory. A contemporary wrote, “Buonarroti, having lived for ninety years, there was never found through all that time anyone who could with right and justice impute to him a stain or any ugliness of manners.”
However, he found dealing with Pope Julius a strain. Once when Michelangelo threatened to leave Rome, Julius, in a fury, said he would have him flung from the scaffold. Michelangelo immediately took it down and refused to add the gold leaf and touch-ups that Julius wanted.”
(“Michelangelo Unveiled Unfinished Chapel Ceiling” by Dan Graves was first published on Christianity.com on May 3, 2010)
Editor’s Note: Michelangelo died at 88 years old, not 90 years, as his contemporary (Scipione Ammirato) claimed.
What Are Michelangelo’s Other Famous Artworks?
Michelangelo is credited with creating 200 known works—including sculptures, paintings, and drawings. It’s believed that many were left unfinished, largely because of his perfectionistic tendencies. While it is impossible to list them all here, a few stand out to me. Most can be viewed at Michelanelo.org and the Art Renewal Center’s website.
His most notable ones, omitting the famous Sistine Chapel painting, are as follows:
The Pieta (made 1498-1499). This statue was considered a special work because the statue contained two figures, rare for that time of the Renaissance.
The statue of David (1504). Interestingly, the statue was carved out of spare marble—considered unsuitable for any large project.
The statue of Madonna and Child, also known as Madonna of Bruges (1501-1505). This statue traveled outside of Italy during Michelangelo’s lifetime, a first for him.
The sculpture of Moses (made 1513-1515). In this sculpture, Michelangelo depicts Moses after descending the mountain with the tablets and encountering the Israelites worshipping a false god. The piece depicts confusion and anger.
“The Last Judgment (1534-1541). Located in the Sistine Chapel, this painting depicts Revelation 15:6 “And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.” Michelangelo’s work on the Sistine Chapel can be viewed at ItalianRenaissance.org.
“The Conversion of Saul” (1542-1545). This painting depicts the moment Saul in a manner that personally took me to that moment. One that changed all of history.
“Martyrdom of St. Peter” (1546-150). The various groups of people in this painting draw the viewer into the experience.
What Can We Learn from Michelangelo Today?
Colossians 3:23-24 tells us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Michelangelo’s work and words demonstrate the power and influence of living out this verse. When done wholeheartedly, our work, whatever that might entail, does bring glory to God. We serve Jesus Christ with our efforts, not man. Michelangelo reportedly said, “If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem to wonder at all.”
Michelangelo’s life also teaches us to accept and embrace our circumstances. His childhood included the loss of his mother and an apprenticeship that changed his life’s direction. One joy doesn’t take away the deep loss, but he persevered onward to live out his circumstances with what he was given.
Finally, a close examination of Michelangelo’s life demonstrates what is true for all of us: he wasn’t a perfect hero of the faith. Records show he sometimes made questionable moral judgments, as when he apparently faked a classical sculpture during his early career. Even so, like David, God used Michelangelo to glorify Himself. This is true for all of us, as we work heartedly in all we do.
Sources:
The Divine Michelangelo - timeline of Michelangelo’s life and major works
Dan Grave’s Bibliography:
1. Cross, F.L., editor. “Michelangelo.” The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press, 1997.
2. Janson, H.W. History of Art. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1969.
3. Symonds, John Addington. The Life of Michelangelo Buonarroti. New York: Modern Library, 1928.
4. Various encyclopedia and internet articles.
To read more Christianity.com articles about artists, go to:
What Does the Bible Say about Art?
What Makes Makoto Fujimura a Great Christian Artist?
50 Great Books on Christian Art
Why Do Christians Seem Suspicious of the Arts?
Evangelical Tracts and Real Art
Photo Credit: Getty Images/GeorgiosArt
Ann Vande Zande is a writer, speaker, mentor, and adjunct professor. She enjoys all things outdoors for three seasons in Minnesota, and all things indoors in the cold long one. She’s fortunate to have shared her story and teaching in Focus on the Family Magazine, In Touch, Proverbs 31 Woman, Bible Advocate, and more.
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
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