Teachers Guide for the BP special exhibition

Michelangelo Drawings: closer to the master

23 March 25 June 2006

Michelangelo, Study for Adam, c.1511, red chalk. The British Museum

Including:

an introduction to the exhibition

notes on how to use this guide
curriculum links and themes
activities and discussion points for use in the gallery or classroom
key images
links and further museum/school activities

Suitable for teachers of KS3-4

Specialist KS2 resources available online
By Kate Soden and Sarah Longair
Department of Learning and Information

GENERAL INFORMATION
EXHIBITION OUTLINE

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR A VISIT

The first Michelangelo exhibition at the British

Museum in over thirty years, Michelangelo Drawings:
closer to the master offers an extraordinary insight
into the creative thinking of one of the greatest artists
of the Renaissance. Michelangelo fulfilled the
Renaissance ideal of universal artistic genius, excelling
as a sculptor, painter and architect.

The exhibition runs from 23 March to 25 June and is

open from 10:00 17:30 Monday to Wednesday and
weekends, and 10:00 20:30 on Thursday and Fridays.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to follow the

evolution of some of the world's most celebrated
artworks through the medium of drawing a common
strand that underlies and unites Michelangelos
masterpieces. The exhibition traces sixty years of
Michelangelo's stormy life through his drawings; from
intimate studies made when he was in his early
twenties to the visionary Crucifixion scenes carried out
shortly before his death. Reuniting material not seen
together since the dispersal of the artist's studio more
than 400 years ago, this exhibition offers a wholly
different perspective on the defining genius of the
Italian Renaissance.

A time slot of 10:00 11:00 on Mondays has been

specially allocated for school visits and we strongly
urge teachers to take advantage of this and arrange
their visit during this time. Under 14s visit the
exhibition for free, age 14-18 pay 5 and adults 10.
There is a discount for group bookings.
School groups must book in advance both for the
exhibition and for the Ford Centre schools facilities at
the Museum Box Office T: 020 7323 8181
E: boxoffice@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk.
Teachers should plan their visit very carefully using the
suggestions in this pack. The exhibition is likely to be
very busy so you cannot teach in the exhibition space
outside of the Monday schools slot (see above).
However, you can informally discuss works in groups
of no more than 6.

EXHIBITION LAYOUT

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

Michelangelo Drawings: closer to the master is

arranged in 8 sections, each of which addresses a
different period, theme or seminal work in the career
of Michelangelo. In the central section of the
exhibition there is a multimedia interactive which
allows students to select a preparatory drawing for the
Sistine chapel and watch its evolution on screen into
the finished fresco on the ceiling. There is also an
overhead projection which shows the frescoes on the
ceiling which relate to the surviving preparatory
drawings in the show.

This teachers pack provides the background for a

teacher bringing a school group to the exhibition and
suggestions for how to use the exhibition effectively.
It is aimed at secondary students, and KS2 activities
can be found on the childrens Compass tour:
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/childrenscompass.

4
5

Multimedia

Three overriding contextual themes are explained on

page 3. The resource is then based around the 8
sections of the exhibition. In each, the theme of the
section is summarised and a key object selected as an
example of the section. The related activities can be
applied to any drawing in this section, for a discussion
at the museum or back at school.
For a successful visit, students should have a clear line
of enquiry before going into the exhibition and know
exactly what information and ideas they must collect.
Drawing will not be permitted in the exhibition outside
of the Monday schools slot (see above). However, the
Museums expansive collection of classical sculpture
will be available throughout the run of the exhibition.
Drawing in these galleries will provide an excellent
opportunity to apply techniques learnt on the visit and
to be inspired by the antique as Michelangelo himself
was.

THEMES
K DRAWING: HOW AND WHY
National Curriculum: Art and design, History of Art

What type of media did Michelangelo use? Michelangelo preferred high grade cream or white paper and, although
the paper was inexpensive, would rarely leave a reverse side unused. Michelangelo uses three media: ink, black chalk
and red chalk. The latest pen and ink drawings are made in the 1520s and after this Michelangelo nearly always
preferred black chalk. What purpose did these drawings serve? Michelangelo made meticulous preparatory studies for
all of his commissions and although only 600 of his drawings survive, we can be certain that this number only
represents a fraction of the total number he created. The drawings vary in finish drastically and the exhibition
includes examples of thumbnail sketches, compositional studies, more polished studies for individual figures, studies
of one component, for instance, drapery, and drawings which are finished works of art in their own right.

Project Focus on Drawing

Exhibition: Examine where and why Michelangelo has used these different materials and techniques. Develop pupils

language and vocabulary to describe his techniques, by picking out significant aspects in individual drawing.
Vocabulary : e.g. form, tone, line, light, shade, sketch, hatching, perspective, foreshortening.
School: Start off with very simply with drawing activities (left-handed, 2 handed, eyes closed, drawing from memory),
then try drawing from life or statues, sampling and documenting the experiments. Choose one of Michelangelos
commissions and interpret it, first with drawing, then in another medium, e.g. painting, print, sculpture.

K MICHELANGELO THE MAN

National Curriculum: History, History of Art, Religious Studies, English

What does the exhibition tell us about Michelangelo the man? An insight into his character is developed in the panel
texts and can be seen in his poems, letters and the quotations printed on the walls. He is a perfectionist as we can tell
from the vast numbers of preparatory work he makes. He had a solitary nature, working long hours alone without
assistants. He was very famous even in his own lifetime; he is the only living artist to be included in Giorgio Vasaris
Lives of the Artists. Michelangelo even commissions his own biography from Condivi in 1553. Various portraits of
Michelangelo exist and in his lifetime he is keen to cultivate the status of both himself as an artist, and his family who
had fallen on hard times. Michelangelo was a highly accomplished sculptor, painter, draughtsman and poet. He even
has beautiful handwriting!

Project The Renaissance Man?

Exhibition: Find out as much as possible from the artists letters and drawings about his character, his rivals in the art

world, his patrons and the world he lived in.

School: Research what are the qualities of a Renaissance Man (see Machiavelli, Castiglione). Find out more about his
rivals and their famous commissions. Examine the evidence from the exhibition and assess its reliability and
usefulness to historians. Write an obituary of Michelangelo and argue whether or not he was a Renaissance Man.

K ART AND THE CHURCH

National Curriculum: History, Religious Studies

What was happening to the church at this time? This was a very turbulent time for the Catholic Church. It was under
attack because it was seen to care more of money and splendour than devotion to God. Martin Luther is a key
character in this history, as are characters closer to home like King Henry VIII. What do we learn about
Michelangelos own faith from the exhibition? We know Michelangelo was a devout man, and we see him becoming
increasingly fixed on his mortality in the last years of his life. How does Michelangelo depict religious scenes? Many
of Michelangelos greatest commissions are of a religious nature. Many of his works were actively meant to
encourage devotion. Think about in what way an image successfully does this.

Project Patronage and the Papacy

Exhibition: Examine the major religious papal commissions depicted in the exhibition. Note down references to

Michelangelos own faith, and when they occur. Analyse the religious messages which are contained within these
images.
School: Research the Reformation and schism in the Church throughout Europe. Think further about these particular
commissions according to other important religious events in Europe in the 16th century. Develop a pictorial timeline
of religious monuments created in Rome, and suggest reasons why they were created. Remember the rise of
Protestantism and the emphasis on not worshipping images how does the Papacy respond to this?

CURRICULUM LINKS
HISTORY OF ART
This exhibition is a unique opportunity to explore in depth the working methods of one of the greatest Renaissance
artists. Various themes can be explored, including the role of religion in artistic creation and patronage both
princely and papal. The insight into the creation of the great masterpieces demonstrates the significant development
in artistic technique that occurred in the first half of the 16th century. Comparing Michelangelo with his Italian
contemporaries Leonardo, Titian and Raphael and their various legacies would also form an interesting study. The
exhibition highlights his relationships with his small number of pupils and studio, as well as his personality via his
letters and contemporary biographies.
 HISTORY
The context in which Michelangelo was working is a fascinating one. The emergence of Protestantism in
Michelangelos lifetime meant that religious commissions were of particular importance in demonstrating the power
of the Papacy and Catholicism. At the same time these encouraged critics of the Catholic Church to attack the
expenditure on art, and to contrast this with the reformers concentration on the spoken and written word. A
discussion could focus on images and commissions before and after the Sack of Rome of 1527. The rivalries between
the Italian states form part of the background to Michelangelos work, as well as the varying forms of government in
Florence, his home town. His patrons included a number of members of the Medici family, some of whom became
Popes and Cardinals. There are many opportunities to use images and text as primary sources and test their
reliability.
= RELIGIOUS STUDIES
There are three main angles to explore for religious studies. This exhibition forms an ideal opportunity to examine
the context of the Reformation, and to explore the roles of different popes ambitions to patronise artists. A
particular focus could be the Papacys use of artists in a time of crisis. A second enquiry would be a purely visual
analysis of the depictions of the various religious events depicted by Michelangelo. Students could compare these
with other images of Creation, the Last Judgement, the Crucifixions and try to explore the theological messages
within them. Thirdly we are given a remarkable opportunity to explore Michelangelos own faith, particularly towards
the end of his life. Students can explore the concept of mortality, in contrast to the immortality of Michelangelos
masterpieces.
 ART AND DESIGN
The insight into the preparations for painting, sculpture
and architecture shows the importance of drawing,
through technique, practice, trial and error, which will
inspire art students in their portfolio and preparatory
work. The comparisons with the finished works
illuminate Michelangelos visionary draughtsmanship.
The variety of types of drawing (see previous page in
Themes) show deliberate choice of one drafting
material over another. Life drawing is seen here at its
best: foreshortened hands, muscular torsos and facial
features. These drawings were revolutionary at the
time; they were influential and copied by many artists.
A life drawing project moving into a final finished
painting or sculpture would be an ideal response to
images in the exhibition.
LITERACY AND ENGLISH
Michelangelo left a large quantity of written material
which effectively offers a chance to create a biography
of his life.
His confidence, perfectionism and
impatience are clear from his letters and poems, which
when combined with images of his masterpieces,
would make a fascinating non fiction text. His poems
(available in the Catalogue appendix) illustrate the
variety of creative endeavours he undertook and
reflect his personal concerns and passions.
Ex. no. 66 Ideal Head of a Woman, black chalk, c.1525-8 The British Museum
These symbols are used throughout to indicate the curriculum links.

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
MICHELANGELO THE DRAUGHTSMAN
Drawing is the thread that connects Michelangelos work as a
sculptor, painter and architect. His drawings offer a unique insight
into how he worked and thought, bringing us closer to
Michelangelo as an artist and a man.
Most of the works in the exhibition are working studies towards
the creation of a finished piece. Despite their extraordinary beauty,
almost all of these drawings were never intended for public display
and, indeed, Michelangelo would be appalled to see them exhibited
as he was paranoid about showing them to outsiders. Furthermore,
at the end of his life, he destroyed a large number, probably to
prevent them falling into other peoples hands and because he
wished to conceal the amount of preparation behind his major
works.
Michelangelos primary focus as an artist was the male body as is
reflected by his drawings. When looking at his drawings, the viewer
is able to observe his relentless search to find the poses that best
express the emotional and spiritual state of the subject.
Anatomy Michelangelos mastery of the human anatomy was
based on intense study, both of flayed corpses and of life models.
This brought him a profound knowledge of the structure and
articulation of the human body.
Variation Michelangelos long experience of life drawing enabled
him to imagine many variations of a pose as is shown in studies for
the Sistine chapel ceiling. He is able to suggest the tension of a
figures muscles through minute changes of pressure in his
handling of the quill or chalk.
Manipulation Although Michelangelos art is rooted in naturalistic
observation he often manipulates human anatomy for expressive
effect, creating poses that look natural but are in fact impossible.
Think about this when looking at drawings like Study for Adam.
Creativity Drawing was also an essential tool for Michelangelo to
explore and develop ideas formed within his imagination. In early
studies for works like The Last Judgement, there is a strong sense
of how Michelangelos creativity was stimulated by the very
process of drawing the flow of his ideas quickening as he
captured them on paper.

Ex. no. 109 Daniele da Volterra Portrait of Michelangelo

c. 1564-66. Bronze. The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

MICHELANGELO: KEY DATES

1475 Born in Caprese, Arezzo
1487 In Ghirlandaios workshop
1488/92 Living in Medici palace
1496 Rome. Commission for Bacchus
1498 Contract for Pieta
1501 Florence. Commission for David
1504 Commission for Battle of Cascina
1505 Rome. Pope Julius II commissions tomb
1508 Begins Sistine chapel ceiling
1512 Finishes Sistine chapel ceiling
1524 Florence. Medici chapel work begins
1527 Sack of Rome.
1536 Rome. Begins painting Last Judgement
1541 Last Judgement finished
1546 Takes over design of St Peters church
1550 Biography by Giorgio Vasari published
1553 Biography by Condivi published
1564 Dies aged 88. Buried in Florence

ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSION POINTS

 Look at the timeline that runs throughout the exhibition and research other events that were taking place
during Michelangelos career.
Write a magazine profile of Michelangelo based on the information you have collected throughout the
exhibition perhaps listing what you imagine to be his likes and dislikes.
 Design the front cover of Michelangelos biography, or that of your family, friends or famous people.
 Find images of Michelangelos finished works in the exhibition or on the internet and in books.
Notice in his portraits that Michelangelo has a bump in his nose it was broken in a fight with another artist.
The story goes that Michelangelo criticised the drawing of another young artist and the latter responded by
breaking his nose! Consider what the benefits and pressures of working or studying with Michelangelo might have
been.

The way Michelangelos talents and character developed astonished Domenico, who saw him doing
things quite out of the ordinary for boys of his age and not only surpassing his many other pupils but
also very often rivalling the achievements of his master himself!
Giorgio Vasari, biographer

SECTION 2: THE EARLY YEARS 1475 1501

IN GHIRLANDAIOS WORKSHOP c.1487-8
Michelangelos artistic career began when he was apprenticed to
the successful Florentine artist Domenico Ghirlandaio at the age
of twelve in 1487. His years with Ghirlandaio were formative,
though later in life he claimed to be entirely self-taught.
Ghirlandaios influence on Michelangelo can be seen by comparing
their works. In the period that Michelangelo was in his studio,
Ghirlandaio was working on the frescoes for the Tornabuoni
chapel in the Florentine church of Santa Maria Novella. Three of
Ghirlandaios preparatory studies for this project are in this
exhibition.

Standing Woman is a study for a female figure in the fresco cycle

in the Tornabuoni chapel. Ghirlandaio records precisely and rapidly
the folds of the dress and decorative detail. The sumptuous dress
was most likely modelled here by a boy apprentice, hence the
head would be drawn separately. This drawing and the other two
by the artist in the exhibition convey Ghirlandaios practical
approach to designing a large scale commission.
In his time in Ghirlandaios workshop Michelangelo would have
seen hundreds of drawings like Standing Woman. There is no
doubt that aspects of his style and working practice can be traced
back to this early period. By comparing his early drawings with
those of his master we can see similarities in the pose, handling of
drapery and hatching. Although still an inexperienced artist,
Michelangelos drawing surpasses Ghirlandaios. Michelangelos
figure has a more convincing depiction of volume and solidity,
achieved by much denser cross hatching, a time consuming
method of modelling that was employed sparingly by Ghirlandaio.

Ex. no. 4 Domenico Ghirlandaio, Standing Woman

c. 1485-90, pen and brown ink, The British Museum.

In an authorised biography written by Condivi in 1553,

Michelangelo denies that he was ever apprenticed to Ghirlandaio.
After a long and successful career it seems that Michelangelo was
keen to establish himself as a self taught genius, setting himself
apart from and perhaps even above the traditions of artists who
came before him. The quotation above is from Vasaris Lives of
the Artists which included a biography of Michelangelo. Even after
Condivis contradictory biography was published, Vasari insisted
and produced documents as proof of the apprenticeship.
Ex. no. 5 An old man wearing a hat (Philosopher)
c.1495-1500, pen and brown ink, The British Museum.

ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION POINTS

 Compare the two drawings how they are similar and where does Michelangelos drawing differ?
 Make a study of both drawings or even draw the pose from life with the model wearing heavy robes. Explore how
cross hatching can be used to create the impression of solid form.
Teacher-pupil relationships: Why did Michelangelo deny he was Ghirlandaios pupil? Write a letter from
Ghirlandaio to Michelangelo describing his feelings in being written out of his pupils story.
The philosopher is holding what some people think to be a skull add a speech bubble and imagine what the
Philosopher might be thinking or saying.
 Examine the way Michelangelo has manipulated his biography. Look at the sources and discuss the way to use
such documentary evidence.

A school for all the world

Cellini, contemporary Florentine artist

SECTION 3: FLORENCE 1501 1505

THE BATTLE OF CASCINA
Michelangelo returned to Florence from Rome in 1501
at the age of twenty-six, and remained there for four
years. This was to be one of the most productive
periods of his life, and he became a lifelong supporter
of Florentine republicanism during this time.
The
republican
government
commissioned
Michelangelo and his great Florentine rival, Leonardo
da Vinci, to paint enormous battle scenes celebrating
historic Florentine victories in the Palazzo Vecchio.
However, these patriotic works were never realised.
Michelangelos only contribution was a large-scale
drawing, or cartoon, intended as the central section of
the planned composition called the Battle of Cascina,
which no longer survives.
The exhibition includes an illustration of an oil painting
based on Michelangelos drawing for the Battle of
Cascina. The scene shows Florentine soldiers hurriedly
preparing themselves for battle with the Pisans after
bathing in the Arno they are the victims of a surprise
attack, though, as the legend goes, the Florentine army
were still victorious over their enemy.
Michelangelos drawing caused a sensation because of
his dynamic portrayal of over life-size figures in action.
Many artists flocked to study Michelangelos hugely
influential cartoon. They were thrilled by the way he
showed nude and semi nude figures in a variety of
unique poses, the whole scene pulsating with
movement and drama. The quotation above appears in
Cellinis autobiography, he like other artists found the
drawing a great inspiration. Sadly the delicate cartoon
was eventually destroyed. Normally Michelangelo
prevented anyone from seeing his drawings but failed
in this instance because after 1505 he was frequently
away from Florence.

Ex. no. 10 A male nude, c. 1504-5, black chalk heightened with lead white.
The Teyler Museum, Haarlem.

The idealised nude, illustrated above, is inspired by classical

sculpture and has an incredibly dramatic pose. We see the
figure from behind, his torso twisting violently and his head
looking the other way. The overall effect is that of a
dramatic and sharp motion.
Michelangelo must have had a clear idea of the design
before embarking on detailed life studies such as this one.
He only outlines the left calf of the figure because he
knows that in the finished work it will be obscured by an
overlapping figure. Michelangelo runs out of space so he
simply redraws the right arm in the intended position as an
accurate record for later. He would not want to waste time
or paper by starting again.

ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION POINTS

 / What was the difference between a republican government and a princely government? Why would the two
governments be keen to employ the two greatest Florentine artists of the day to depict Florentine battle victories?
Can you think of other regimes in history that used art in this way?
 / Rivalries in art: what do you know about Leonardo da Vinci? Have a class debate about who was the greater
master, Michelangelo or Leonardo.
/ How are movement and surprise suggested in this figure drawing? Research Cezannes Bathers and see how a
similar subject has been painted in an Impressionistic way.
 / Compare Michelangelos cartoon with a piece of modern art that has caused a sensation, such as Cezannes
proto-cubist works or Picassos Les Demoiselles dAvignon or Guernica.
Find the image which illustrates a copy of Michelangelos lost Bathers cartoon. Imagine you are one of the
artists who saw the original, write a letter to a fellow artist describing the cartoon.
 Look at the classical sculptures in the museums galleries make you own drawings from them like Michelangelo
did in the Medici gardens in Florence.

I have finished the chapel I have been painting: the Pope is very well satisfied

SECTION 4: THE SISTINE CHAPEL 1508 1512

AN EPIC ACHIEVEMENT
In 1508 Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo
to paint the Sistine chapel ceiling in the Vatican
palace. The thirty-three year-old artist had little
experience of fresco technique, and the ceiling
painting was an extraordinary achievement.
Michelangelos design was a very ambitious one
that included painting an architectural framework.
He divided the ceiling (over 40m long) into nine
compartments, filled with fresco scenes of the
creation of the world and mans early history as
told in the Bible.
Fresco painting is notoriously difficult, as it
involves applying water-based pigments to wet
plaster and has to be done very quickly.
Nevertheless, Michelangelo appears to have
painted the vault almost single-handed. He soon
dismissed his assistants, an indication perhaps of
his perfectionism and single-mindedness. The
fresco was painted from a stepped scaffold
suspended on wooden rafters. This meant that
Michelangelo painted standing up contrary to
popular belief that he lay on his back.
The drawings in this exhibition are rare survivors
from the many hundreds that Michelangelo made
to prepare the ceiling. How did he transform these
small-scale figures into their gigantic counterparts
on the ceiling? The normal method of enlarging a
drawing was to overlay it with a grid of squares,
which allowed the design to be copied into larger
squares on a cartoon. Michelangelo then
transferred the figures to the wet plaster, either by
cutting through the outlines on the paper with a
knife, or by dusting charcoal through holes
punctured in the cartoon.

Ex. No. 25 Study for Adam c. 1511. Red chalk, The British Museum

Michelangelo painted the ceiling in two halves, 1508-1510

and 1511-12. He painted the famous figure of Adam, on the
second half of the ceiling, around 1511. Adam reclines on his
right side, his left arm resting on his left leg stretches out to
receive life from God. The figures stretching motion seems
natural but in fact relies on an impossible dislocation of the
upper body. Michelangelo is blurring the boundaries between
the realities of the human figure and an invented ideal form.
Michelangelo has exploited the qualities of the red chalk to
create a warmth of tone as he drew from the life model.
Michelangelo only indicates the outline of the head and
hands as these would have been the subject of a special
study (note how Ghirlandaio does this in Standing Woman).
Instead he concentrates on the torso and upper legs of his
model, whose anatomy is indicated by detailed shading,
especially on the chest and stomach areas. The figure
appears to be very three dimensional and we know that
Michelangelo considered himself primarily as a sculptor.

ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION POINTS

ALL SUBJECTS: Have a go with the multimedia exhibit in the centre in exhibition do the drawings look like their
finished counterpart in fresco?
Explore the varying drawings for the Sistine chapel. By piecing together the surviving information like an
archaeologist work out how many stages Michelangelo seems to go through before he executes the fresco.
 Explore the techniques used by Michelangelo and the unusual and varied figurative poses. Try drawing directly
above your head while standing up imagine doing this for 3 years!
 Make your own cartoons by pricking holes on the outlines of a full scale drawing and then dusting powder over the
holes to leave an outline on the surface beneath. You can repeat this image several times, creating a pattern or
abstract drawing.
 Take a copy of the image and fill in the head and hand however you wish
= Compare creation stories with those in other religions. The Sistine Ceiling has very famous depictions of the
Creation. Read Genesis and try to show the whole story in a single composition.
 Why would the Pope commission such a grand work? What does it say about the Papacy?
The sibyl is able to predict the future. Students could write a story that involves a prediction and give two endings
where the prediction does and does not come true.

Medici is made Pope, which I think will rejoice everyone. I expect, for this reason that as far as
art is concerned that many things will be executed here.

SECTION 5: WORKING FOR THE MEDICI 1516 1534

THE MEDICI CHAPEL
Michelangelo returned to Florence from Rome in 1516
at the age of forty-one, and remained there for almost
twenty years. During this time he worked mainly for
the Medici family, who had regained control of the city
in 1512.
Florence, Michelangelos native city, became the focus
of papal patronage because of the election of two
Medici popes: Leo X in 1513 and later his cousin
Clement VII in 1523. Initially, Michelangelo was called
to design a magnificent marble faade for the Medici
church of San Lorenzo in Florence. However, this plan
was cancelled in 1520. Instead he received two smaller
architectural commissions for the same church: a
funeral chapel (known as the Medici chapel) and the
Laurentian library. Neither building was completed by
the time he was called to Rome in 1534 to paint the
Last Judgement.

Ex. no. 49 Studies for Day c. 1524-5, Black Chalk, The Teyler Museum,
Haarlem

The drawing above is the first that we have seen which is a

preparatory work for a sculpture rather than a painting. We
see him here considering the shoulders of one of the
allegorical tomb figures, Day. Interestingly Michelangelo
includes the two allegorical figures of Night and Day on the
tomb of Giuliano deMedici rather than any religious ones.
The model, with drapery around his waist, was presumably
drawn seated with his arm behind his back and the other
facing forward. The complex arm lock position was studied
three times on this one sheet, the drawing on the right
overlaps the study. Michelangelo considers all angles of his
sculptures, he even includes areas invisible to the viewer.

Above: Ex. no. 40 Studies for a double wall tomb, c.1520-1.

Black chalk (detail) The British Museum

In the Medici chapel Michelangelo designed the

architecture and sculpture of the tombs in unison. We
can see this in the study for a double wall tomb above.
Michelangelo keeps modifying the height of the left
niche and this affects his ideas for sculpture.

Michelangelos drawing is incredibly detailed. He shows up

the bulging veins on the underside of the forearm, which
also appear on the finished sculpture. Also astonishing is his
use of varying tones of the black chalk to render the
nuances of light and shade. We know that Michelangelo
used his fingertips, or a small stump of cloth, to blend the
shades. It is almost as if Michelangelo is turning the
models flesh into marble.

ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION POINTS

 // = Who were the Medici family? Why is it important that they had Papal connections?
/  How are architecture and sculpture united in the tombs? What skills does an artist require to be an architect
and vice versa?
/  How does Michelangelo capture the musculature of the body in Day? What techniques does he use?
Write a letter to Michelangelo commissioning your own monument, describe what you would like.
= This family chapel would have been used for continuous prayers and ceremonies. Think about the religious aspects
of a tomb design, for instance which direction should the tomb face? How might designing a tomb for a particular
family cause contradictions with the religious aspect of tomb design?
 Design a tomb for a famous person in history thinking about the architecture, sculptures and how to portray a
sense of the character you have chosen.
 / Consider the advantages and disadvantages of working for one family.

10

Draw Antonio draw Antonio, draw and dont waste time

SECTION 6: THE PRIVATE MICHELANGELO 1516 34

MICHELANGELO AND HIS PUPILS
Many drawings survive from Michelangelos time
in Florence, where they could be safely lodged in
the family archive. They reveal that his activities
extended far beyond just his official commissions
for the Medici.
During his time in Florence, Michelangelo tried to
pass on his skills as a draughtsman to a group of
pupils and assistants. Some of the works on
display here include copy exercises by these
apprentices.
Unlike his contemporaries, Titian and Raphael,
Michelangelo produced very few portraits.
However among the many drawings to survive
from this Florentine period is a portrait of one his
favourite pupils, Andrea Quaratesi (no. 70). In this
period Michelangelo made a number of finished
drawings of ideal heads, exhibited here in this
section.
These are wonderful examples of
Michelangelos
delicate
and
polished
draughtsmanship which contrast with the sketchy
preparatory studies he made for commissions like
the Last Judgement.

Ex. no. 60. Detail of inscription to Andrea Quaratesi, one of

Michelangelos favourite pupils translated Andrea, have
patience

Ex. no. 60 Michelangelo and pupils Studies for profiles, eyes and locks of hair, c.
1525, red and black chalk, Ashmolean museum, Oxford.

This drawing with red and black chalk gives us an endearing

insight into Michelangelos drawings technique. Michelangelo
provides drawings for his students to copy. Generally it is
thought that the youth in profile at the top right is by the artist
and the one below a copy. The eyes have proved more difficult
to tell apart; most scholars agree that the eye in profile at the
top left and the eye seen from straight on in the middle of the
top row are both by Michelangelo. Copying studies in the same
sheet was a traditional practice and may have been something
that Michelangelo himself learned to do as a young apprentice
in Ghirlandaios studio.
On the bottom right of the papers reads an encouraging
inscription (detail, above left) by Michelangelo; Andrea abbi
patientia [Andrea have patience]. We know this pupil to whom
he writes; his name is Andrea Quaratesi the subject of the only
portrait drawing that survives by Michelangelo. (Ex. no. 70)

ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION POINTS

 Pass a sheet with a simple study on it around a group and ask them all to add a copy. See how the motif selected
develops like Chinese whispers but in pencil!
 Find the portrait of Andrea Quaratesi in the exhibition. Back at school, make your own portraits in black chalk or pencil.
See if you can distance the sitter from the viewer like Michelangelo by turning them away from you slightly.
 Look in other galleries in the museum, select a feature (e.g. eyes or noses) and draw a selection, from different angles.
Why was it important that Michelangelo teach young students? Why might he have been reluctant to set up a workshop
or have trained assistants like his contemporary Raphael?
Examine the handwriting in the exhibition Michelangelo was very particular about this write a letter from
Michelangelo to his nephew instructing him to improve his handwriting. Use your finest handwriting.
Explore this section looking for insights into the private person how does he present himself in his writing? What other
information can you discover about Michelangelo the man?

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to give you a contract for something beyond your dreams

Sebastiano del Piombo, a fellow artist, tells Michelangelo of Pope Clement VIIs plan

SECTION 7: THE LAST JUDGEMENT 1536 41

THE LAST JUDGEMENT
In 1534 Pope Clement VII invited
Michelangelo back to work on the altar
wall in the Sistine chapel. Michelangelo
had not painted in fresco for over
twenty years, yet his Last Judgement
was a highly original, if controversial,
masterpiece.
The Last Judgement was a common
theme
in
church
art,
but
Michelangelos interpretation was
entirely novel. His vision of the
Apocalypse is a swirling maelstrom,
filled with thick-set and muscular
naked figures. Traditional symmetry
and order are replaced by dynamic,
often violent, action, in which the rules
of perspective and proportion are
suspended. The painting speaks directly
about the salvation of souls an issue
which was widely debated in this
period of religious upheaval.
Although Michelangelo took great care
to strip the nude figures of their
sensuality, the Last Judgement still
caused offence to some members of
the church. After his death in 1564
there were calls for it to be censored,
largely because so many prints of the
painting were circulating. As a result,
Michelangelos friend Daniele da
Volterra painted drapery on some of
the figures.

Ex. no. 86 A male nude seen from behind c. 1539 41, black chalk. The British Museum

This is a study for the soul emerging from a grave at the bottom left of the
Last Judgement. The detail in the drawing contrasts with other drawings for
the same commission. This drawing is more detailed because of its position
on the altar wall it is one of the lowest and therefore most visible to the
viewer. The chapel is rather gloomy and so any detail higher up would have
been pointless. The foreshortening of the arms, elbows, wrists and hands in
this image is remarkable. Michelangelo convinces us that the body is rising up
from the grave with real force.
Compare this black chalk drawing of a male nude with the drawing for Day
(page 9). One drawing is for a sculpture and the other for a fresco painting.
Michelangelo uses heavier outlines in this drawing as he knows the end result
will need to be sharply delineated on the chapel wall. Whereas in the Day
drawing, Michelangelo focuses not so much on line but on modelling the
surface of the back.

ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION POINTS

=/  This was a crucial time in the church find out more about it and look at the whole painting. What messages is it
trying to convey?
= How is the altar wall of the Last Judgement different in both style and tone to the creation scenes painted on the ceiling
some thirty years earlier?
/ No two figures in this fresco painting have the same pose, in fact when it was unveiled it was said that
Michelangelo had exhausted all possibilities. Take newspapers and magazines and cut out bodies in different positions and
make a collage based on the composition of the Last Judgement.
 Examine the foreshortening of the hands try drawing wrists and hands from various angles.
=/ Compare this with other depictions of the Last Judgement - what are the common themes? How is Michelangelos
image different from others, for instance Giotto in the Arena chapel or Signorelli in Orvieto Cathedral?
/ = Try to imagine the scale of these drawings the largest figures are more than life size; imagine the impact this
would have had on spectators. Make your own larger than life size image by sticking big sheets of paper together and
working on the images in groups.
Imagine it is 1541 and that you are a journalist for a newspaper in Rome. Write an article about the Last Judgement
including observations on the figurative poses and the depiction of naked biblical characters in a papal chapel.

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I was forced to work on the fabric of St Peters.It would be the ruin of the building if I were to
quit. It would bring me enormous disgrace throughout Christendom,
and be a terrible sin and stain on my soul.

SECTION 8: THE FINAL YEARS, 153464

MICHELANGELO THE ARCHITECT
Michelangelo spent the last thirty years of his life in
Rome, and never returned to Florence despite numerous
invitations. During this time he worked mainly as an
architect, notably on the design for the basilica of St
Peters.
After Michelangelo had finished the Last Judgement,
Pope Paul III asked him to paint the Pauline chapel in the
Vatican Palace. He completed these frescoes in 1550, at
the age of seventy-five. His main involvement in
architecture began in 1546, when Paul III asked him to
complete the Farnese Palace in Rome. However, it was
the building of St Peters that occupied him the most,
and his design for the basilica is one of his greatest
achievements.
During his 17 year appointment as architect of St. Peters
he successfully gave the plan greater coherence by
simplifying the interior. The most prominent element in
his design was the dome. Michelangelos designs contain
many elements inspired by Brunelleschis dome of the
Cathedral in Florence.

Ex. no. 104 Section through the dome of St Peters; figure studies,
late 1550s, black chalk over some stylus. The Teyler Museum,
Haarlem.

Etienne Duprac, Michelangelos project for St Peters c. 1569

Engraving, The British Museum (Not in exhibition)

This sheet contains ideas for the dome and the

lantern of St Peters, drawn over figures traced from
the other side, The dome has an inner and an outer
shell, but the drawing shows that Michelangelo had
not yet decided if they were to be differently shaped
(as in the main drawing) or both hemispherical (as in
the top left design).

ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION POINTS

=/  Find out why the basilica of St Peters was being rebuilt. This was the largest church in Western Europe what
does this tell you about the Papacy at the time?
=/  Find out about the Counter Reformation, what do you think Martin Luther would have said about the finished of
St Peters?
/ Compare this dome with other major domes in the world St Pauls in London, the Duomo in Florence, the
Capitol in Washington, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Why are domes such a powerful architectural form? How does it feel
to be in these spaces? Go into the Reading Room in the British Museum and imagine that St Peters was more than 3
times higher than this, but only 10 metres wider!
/ Compare these dome designs with St Pauls in London Christopher Wren was very inspired by St Peters.
 Draw a building you see every day using the cross section style that is shown here on the right in Michelangelos
drawing. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this type of drawing?
= Have a class debate about whether a small intimate and plain sacred space or a large highly decorated one bring a
worshipper closer to God.

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Neither painting nor sculpture can any longer quieten my soul, turned now to that divine love
which on the cross, to embrace us, opened wide its arms

SECTION 8. THE FINAL YEARS, 1534-64

MICHELANGELOS FAITH
Michelangelo continued to work to within a
week of his death, at the age of eighty-eight.
His preoccupations with death and
redemption are movingly conveyed by his
last, unfinished sculpture, the Rondanini Piet,
and his final drawings of the Crucifixion (nos.
1057).
Michelangelos art and writings show that he
was a devout Catholic. Outwardly his faith
was evident in his acts of charity and his
abstinence during Lent. During his lifetime he
witnessed the end of a united Christendom in
Western Europe with the emergence of
Protestantism. This affected his faith, and he
was increasingly drawn to a more devotional
and inward-looking form of Catholicism.
The religious imagery in Michelangelos work
is personal and intensely heartfelt. In his
drawings he could also explore ideas which he
could not use in finished works of art, such as
the nudity of the Virgin in The Holy Family
with the Infant Baptist (no. 80).
In the last three decades of his life, inspired
by his friendship with the poet Vittoria
Colonna and a growing sense of his own
mortality, Michelangelos faith deepened. His
meditation on death and redemption bore
fruit in his Last Judgement in the Sistine
chapel, and in the Crucifixion studies (nos.
1057) made right at the end of his life. We
can see Michelangelos age in his faltering
hand in these moving and intense images.

Ex. no. 106 The Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John c.1555-64, black chalk
heightened with lead white. The British Museum.

In this Crucifixion study Michelangelo shows Christ on a Y-shaped

cross. He would have seen this old fashioned type of cross in the
church of Santa Croce in Florence, which penitents once carried in
processions throughout the city. Perhaps Michelangelo included it
here to contrast the act of penitence an individuals mortification
of the body to expiate sin with Christs ultimate sacrifice on the
cross that Christians believe rescued mankind from sin.
Michelangelo has almost obsessively reworked the poses of the two
mourners. He has made heavy use of diluted lead white in the figure
of the Virgin, both to define the final form and to cover up some of
his earlier work. Her crossed arm gesture, familiar from
representations of the Annunciation and from her pose on
Michelangelos Last Judgement, symbolises her acceptance of her
sons death.

ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION POINTS

= Examine and compare the various depictions of the crucifixion. Analyse the figures, and which saints feature, and how
they are reacting to the scene.
How do these paintings represent the last years of Michelangelo compared to his earliest work, how has he developed
as an artist? Look back at your old drawings; consider how you have developed as an artist.
= What do you think Michelangelo was thinking and feeling when he made this moving religious images?
 Compare this drawing with earlier drawings in the exhibition, what techniques does Michelangelo use here? Make your
own chalk drawing and use white chalk to highlight certain aspects.
 The crisis of Catholicism was continuing the Wars of Religion in France, with Catherine deMedici playing a major role,
almost led to a full-scale civil war based around religious factions. Examine these drawings in this context.
= Why is the image of the Crucifixion so powerful to Christians? Think about how often and where you see the sign of the
cross. Why is it particularly found at the high altar in churches?
= / / Until 23 April 2006 there will be a free temporary display of Rembrandts drypoint masterpiece in room 3: an
alternative vision of the Crucifixion. Write a comparison between Rembrandts interpretation of the Crucifixion and
Michelangelos.

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FURTHER EXPLORATION IN THE MUSEUM

Michelangelo and the antique

Visit the classical sculpture galleries (rooms 11-23, 77-85)

and be inspired by antique sculpture like Michelangelo. The
drawing on the right is from the early stages of his career
and we know Michelangelo would have been inspired by
antique sculpture in the Medici gardens in his youth. He may
have seen an object like the bust here from the British
Museum which is featured with the drawing in the exhibition.
Right: Ex. no. 7 Head of a man in profile, c.1500-05. pen and brown ink. The British Museum
Left: Ex. no. 8 Portrait bust of a bearded man dressed in classical Greek attire. c. AD130-150. Marble. The British Museum

Michelangelo Money and Medals

If you wish to find out more about coins and medals in Michelangelos Italy,
visit this free exhibition in Room 69a on the first floor. You can see some of
the coins of Michelangelo's time, notably the famous florins and ducats of
Florence, Venice and Rome. The exhibition explores the vast wealth that
Michelangelo accumulated from the high payments he received for his work.
Renaissance Italy also witnessed the birth of the medal and many of
Michelangelo's patrons and friends - and the artist himself - appear on some of
the finest medals of the age.
Left: Bronze Medal of Michelangelo by Leone Leoni, the British Museum

Michelangelo: a global context

See what artworks were being created in the rest of the world at
this time particularly look at the brass statues and plaques from
Benin in Africa (Room 25) and the Mexican Aztec collections (Room
27). Compare how the figure is portrayed and what objects are
designed for religious purposes.
Left: Turquoise Mosaic of a double headed serpent C15th-16th From Mexico, The British Museum
Brass plaque showing the Oba of Benin with attendants 16th century. From Benin, Nigeria. The British Museum

Prints and Drawings Study Room

The British Museums collection of prints and drawings, which includes over 2 million works on paper, is available to
the public in the magnificent Prints and Drawings Study Room. Please telephone 020 7323 8408 to find out more
or to make an appointment for a group visit.

FURTHER EXPLORATION AT SCHOOL

Films

These films are all showing at the Museum during the run of the exhibition as part of the public programme. Please
see www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/Michelangelo for details of all Michelangelo Drawing events.
The Agony and the Ecstasy - Story of Michelangelo and Pope Julius II and the commission for the Sistine chapel.
Martin Luther - Recounts Martin Luthers break from Catholicism and the creation of the Protestant movement.
Elizabeth Tells the story of the young English Protestant Queen who takes to the throne in 1558.
Aguirre, Wrath of God The Spanish conquistadors set out to discover Eldorado in the early 16th century.
La Reine Margot Recounts the massacre in France during the Religious wars of the late 16th century (Cert 18)

Weblinks

Childrens compass links for KS2 level activities: www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/childrenscompass

For further art and design activities related to the rest of the museums collection please go to
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/education/artdesign/home.html

Catalogue

The exhibition catalogue, Michelangelo Drawings: closer to the master by Hugo Chapman is available online
(www.thebritishmuseum.co.uk) and in the museum bookshop. Priced at 40 hardback and 25 paperback.

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