8. Known in life as “The Divine One”, Michelangelo would only be a positive contribution to the modern world’s less traditional artistic scenes
Known commonly simply by his first name, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni reigned as one of the greatest artists of the High Renaissance. Sent to Florence as a youth to study grammar, even as a boy Michelangelo was already more interested in the arts, spending most of his time with painters and copying pieces from churches. Producing several of the most famous works of painting, sculpture, and architecture in history, Michelangelo, known in life as “The Divine One”, is perhaps the only individual capable of challenging Leonardo da Vinci, his contemporaneous rival, for the definitive title of “Renaissance Man”.
Sculpting two of his best-known works – the Pietà and David – before the age of thirty, Michelangelo transitioned for a time back into his childish obsession with painting. Creating two of the most influential frescoes of all time, both of which were for the Sistine Chapel –The Last Judgment and the scenes from Genesis found on its ceiling – Michelangelo eventually, at the age of seventy-four, became the architect of St. Peter’s Basilica. Influencing generations of successors attempting, and failing, to surpass his artistic genius, the return of Michelangelo could only mean more legendary works and valuable additions to human culture.