LGBT People of History 7 - Michelangelo

This is the seventh installment of our LGBT People of History series.

Michelangelo

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was born in 1475. He and Leonardo are considered to be the greatest Renaissance figures. He was a sculptor, painter and architect par excellence, amongst other things. His finest achievements include the paintings of Genesis on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the Last Judgment on the Sistine Chapel wall and the design of St Peter’s in Rome. Perhaps his best works were in sculpture with the Pieta and, of course, the exquisite David, which is unbelievably realistic.

Michelangelo appears to have been a bit of a loner and very frugal in his habits.

It is highly likely that Michelangelo was gay. His appreciation of the nude male form is obvious in his painting and sculptural works. After having known Cecchino dei Bracci for a very brief time Michelangelo was devastated at his death as can be seen in many heartfelt verses which he wrote.

Callum was told this story on a visit to the Sistine Chapel: In the corner of the ceiling, Michelangelo had painted a demon which had scaly lizard-like skin, was all in green and was swallowing his own tail; it looks like a human and was painted in the image of a Cardinal in the Vatican who disapproved of Michelangelo for being homosexual, so not to be outdone he painted the Cardinal as a demon and it has remained there ever since.

Perhaps the greatest love of his life was with Tommaso dei Cavalieri who was 34 years younger than Michelangelo. This relationship seems to have been reciprocated and they were devoted to each other as is evidenced in the many expressive verses which the older man wrote for the younger.

Michelangelo died in 1564 leaving a fabulous legacy of paintings and sculpture to the world.

Ian and Callum.

Thanks to Wikipedia.

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