Do and Gelo: Assignment 6

Thomas Tiernan

Assignment No. 6

Leonardo and Michelangelo

            Leonardo DaVinci and Michelangelo are two of the greatest artists in history. They both exhibit natural artistic talent and have remained very popular for centuries. First, Leonardo DaVinci was born 1452 in Italy where he stayed in Florence until he was asked to work as the official artist for the Duke of Milan in 1482. Records state DaVinci worked as a sculptor but there are no examples of his work. Not only was DaVinci an artist and sculptor, he also was a very skilled engineer and architect. He was involved in city planning, sanitary disposal, and even military engineering. DaVinci only has a dozen or so finished artworks but has hundreds of unfinished drawings, and thousands of sketches in his journals. In 1507, DaVinci was appointed court painter to King Louis XII of France. DaVinci lived in solitary all of his life, and he did not marry. DaVinci’s best works are: The Last Supper, Mona Lisa, and The Vitruvian Man. DaVinci shows great details in face in these artworks. Michelangelo on the other hand, included detail in human figure. Michelangelo was an artist since birth, when he was 14 years old, he went to an art school for a few years. A lot like DaVinci, Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor. An example of his sculpting work would be, The Statue of David. Michelangelo served 6 popes, two emperors, a king, and numerous noblemen. He would apparently fight with his benefactors about having his work to them on time and payments. Michelangelo’s best works include The Pieta, David, Sistine Chapel, and The Last Judgment.  My personal favorite work out of both of these artists would be Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment. It is one of the most detailed artworks, I have ever seen. The human figure is depicted perfectly in every human being drawn. The bright colors used are vibrant and help differentiate the symbolism between heaven and hell. DaVinci and Michelangelo are great artists and sculptors whose art will continue to be cherished forever.