Michelangelo Facts | Facts about Michelangelos

Who were the Medici?

The Medici were a wealthy banking family in Florence who funded artists like Michelangelo and Botticelli, which helped make the city the center of the Renaissance.

Did Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel lying down?

Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling from 1508 to 1512 standing on scaffolding with his head tilted back, not lying down as the popular myth claims.

Where did the marble for Michelangelo's David come from?

Michelangelo carved his 17-foot statue of David from a huge block of marble that earlier sculptors had abandoned as too difficult to work with.

Did Michelangelo think of himself as a painter?

Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor first and a painter second.

Did Michelangelo complain about painting the Sistine Chapel?

Michelangelo wrote a humorous poem complaining about the physical strain of painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Which is the only work Michelangelo signed?

Michelangelo's "Pietà" is the only work he signed. According to legend, he carved his name after hearing visitors credit it to another artist.

How did Michelangelo break his nose?

Michelangelo's nose was broken by a punch from fellow artist Pietro Torrigiano.

Why were clothes painted onto "The Last Judgment"?

After Michelangelo's death, painter Daniele da Volterra was hired to paint clothing over nude figures in "The Last Judgment," earning him the nickname "the breeches maker."