hat he finished before he was twenty-five years old. It was said that after it was placed in St. Peters, Michelangelo heard a pilgrim say that another artist did the work from Lombard. In a fit of rage, he took a hammer and chisel and on the sash that runs across Marys breast inscribed Michelangelo Buonarroti, Florentine, made this. It was the only work that he ever signed. Michelangelos temper was proverbial, his character difficult, touchy, stubborn, and he often had difficulties in relations with others. After returning to Florence, Michelangelo produced the gigantic fourteen-foot marble David which he worked on for four years. The character of David and what he symbolizes can be described as his patriotic feelings at the time. Florence was going through a difficult period. Michelangelo used David as a model of courage, demonstrating that inner spiritual strength can be more effective than weapons.While still working on the David, he was given an opportunity to demonstrate his ability as a painter during a commission of a mural, the Battle of Cascina. Michelangelo created a series of nude and clothed figures that are a prelude to his next project, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo always considered himself a sculptor and tried to turn down the commission, but in vain. Initially, he was to paint twelve figures of apostles and some decorations on the ceiling. Those however, he destroyed and in place decided to, with the popes permission, paint the story of the Old Testament which is currently present in the chapel.Before the assignment of the Sistine ceiling, Michelangelo was commissioned by Julius II to produce his tomb, which was planned to be the most magnificent of Christian times. After putting it aside to work on the Sistine ceiling, Michelangelo returned and redesigned it on a more modest scale. The tomb was to include more than forty figures carved from marble. Michelangelo made some of his finest sculptures for t...
