| Description: | This course focuses on Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) and offers students the opportunity to explore in depth the life and work of one of the most gifted and revolutionary artists of the sixteenth century. It will look on his long artistic career as a painter, sculptor, architect and poet. The artist's personal and artistic relations with other outstanding artists of his time, in particular to Leonardo and Raphael, whom Michelangelo perceived as great rivals, will also be a central theme of the course. The course will be based on recent literature, sources of the time and Michelangelo's own writings (mainly his letters and poetry). It will also explore artistic questions like the hidden meanings in his works and Michelangelo's influence on contemporary and later artists. The course will also explore relations with his commissioners, especially the Medici in Florence and the papal court in Rome under pope Julius II. Students will gain a detailed knowledge of Michelangelo's work, and will be able to identify and analyze major works in painting, sculpture and architecture. Site visits will form an essential part of the course. |