Michelangelo stands as a titan of the Renaissance, known for his incredible statues and paintings. However, his personal life was far more chaotic and messy than his polished marble figures. Furthermore, he possessed a fiery temper that often landed him in serious trouble with powerful people. Consequently, stories about his habits and rivalries are just as fascinating as his art. Discover the gritty details behind the genius who shaped Western history.
Michelangelo
A rival artist named Torrigiano punched Michelangelo in the face during a heated argument. Consequently, his nose remained permanently flattened and crooked for the rest of his life.
He hated bathing and often wore his clothes for weeks at a time. Therefore, his leather boots actually peeled the skin off his feet when he finally removed them.
Surprisingly, Michelangelo started his career by forging a “sleeping cupid” statue to trick a buyer. He buried it in dirt to make it look like an ancient Roman artifact.
He despised painting the Sistine Chapel and wrote a poem about his misery. Specifically, he complained that the work gave him a goiter and ruined his posture.
The massive block of marble for David sat abandoned for forty years before he touched it. In fact, other artists rejected the stone because they claimed it was too flawed.
He burned thousands of his sketches and drawings just before he died. Essentially, he wanted the world to believe his work appeared magically perfect without effort.
He painted his own face into The Last Judgment fresco in a gruesome way. Shockingly, he appears as a limp, flayed skin held by Saint Bartholomew.
Contrary to the starving artist myth, Michelangelo became incredibly wealthy during his lifetime. He left behind a fortune worth tens of millions of dollars in today’s money.
He wrote over 300 poems, often focusing on love and spiritual longing. Thus, his literary talent rivaled his skills with a chisel and brush.
The city of Florence hired Michelangelo to design military defenses during a siege. Consequently, he paused his sculpting to build walls that protected his home from attacks.
Remarkably, he signed his name on only one artwork in his entire career. He carved it across the sash of the Pieta after hearing someone credit a rival.
He lived to the age of 88, which was ancient for that era. Even then, he continued working on the Rondanini Pieta until days before his death.
His statue of Moses features two horns sticking out of the head. Unfortunately, this happened because of a mistranslation of the Hebrew word for “rays of light.”
He maintained a bitter rivalry with Leonardo da Vinci for years. Often, they insulted each other publicly in the streets of Florence.
The ruler of Florence once commanded him to build a statue out of snow. Reluctantly, he created a magnificent snowman in the courtyard that melted days later.
