Rebuilding The Renaissance Rocky Ruggiero

In 1524, the Medici Pope Clement VII asked Michelangelo to design and build a new library to house the extraordinary collection of manuscripts and books owned by the family. The logical location was the Medici-sponsored complex of San Lorenzo. This episode analyzes the construction history of the library and how Michelangelo once again applied his innovative ideas to architecture. 

Although the commission was originally given to Michelangelo in 1508, the eventual carving of the sculpture fell into the lesser hands of Baccio Bandinelli. Symbolic of the new authoritative Medici regime and rule over the city, the sculpture was a strong man image intended to warn Florentines of the consequences of revolt. It is also a prime example of the new Mannerist style which dominated Florentine art in the 16th century.

This final episode dedicated to Michelangelo’s great fresco on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel addresses the controversy surrounding the explicit nudity in the painting. When formal protests by high-ranking figures in the papal court were made, Michelangelo responded by including one of their portraits in hell. We also discuss the eventual alterations made to the painting after Michelangelo’s death.

This episode analyzes the majestic composition and singular iconography of Michelangelo’s fresco on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. From the lack of any architectural elements to the use of ambiguous saint imagery, Michelangelo introduced a revolutionary and surprisingly modern way to represent a popular biblical subject.

To create a suitable surface for Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment,” major alterations were made to the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. This episode examines those physical preparations, as well as the art that was lost in order to make way for Michelangelo’s great fresco. It also surveys earlier versions of the subject by artists such as Giotto and Pisano.

Twenty-four years after completing its ceiling, Michelangelo returned to the Sistine Chapel to paint its altar wall. His gigantic “Last Judgment” took five years to complete and scandalized Rome as many of its holy characters were depicted in the nude. This podcast examines the history of the commission of Michelangelo’s great fresco.