Michelangelo's talent and vision fundamentally influenced the development of European art and architecture, and his work is still a source of admiration and inspiration today. He also became an inspiration for the creation of a modern Mediterranean villa by the Spanish company oleeee. Not only does the villa bear the artist's name, but fragments of Michelangelo's work are part of its exterior and interior.
The Renaissance – The Golden Age of Art
The Renaissance originated in Italian cities in the 15th century as a manifestation of the secular and humanistic self-confidence of wealthy townspeople and a new interest in ancient art. In the competitive environment of city-states, townspeople and towns tried to present themselves through representative buildings. Renaissance architects were inspired by ancient buildings, their symmetry, simplicity of geometric shapes and regularity of proportions. New types of secular buildings appeared in architecture, such as villas, castles, palaces or town halls.
Buildings began to be plastered, decorated with stucco or marble cladding, external columns, domes and staircases were used as separate architectural elements. The decoration of the facades was carried out using the sgraffito technique, instead of pointed arches, circular arches were used, and simple rectangular shapes prevailed for windows and doors.
Michelangelo's life and work
Michelangelo Buonarroti is one of the most important representatives of the Italian Renaissance. He was born as the second of five sons of Lodovico di Leonard Buonarroti-Simoni. Already in his youth, he showed exceptional talent and, despite the disapproval of his father, who wanted him to become a businessman, Michelangelo established himself in the art world. An important moment was the meeting with Lorenzo the Magnificent, who brought him to the Medici Palace in Florence. Here he met leading artists, writers and scholars, which significantly influenced his further development. His fame grew especially after the completion of the statue of David, for which he received 900 gold ducats – more than Leonardo da Vinci earned in his entire life.
Michelangelo was known for his arrogance towards others, but at the same time he was constantly dissatisfied with himself. He perceived art as the result of inner inspiration and culture. He perceived sculptural work as a process of releasing form from stone, which is best seen in his unfinished sculptures. He put a moral dimension into his characters, which is evident, for example, in the expression on David's face. His frescoes in the Sistine Chapel represent a synthesis of architecture, sculpture and painting, with The Last Judgment depicting an extreme crisis. Michelangelo's skill was already appreciated in his time.
Michelangelo drew the greatest inspiration from antiquity. Renaissance philosophy, which placed man at the center of the universe, is reflected in his works, where he idealized the human form. In The Last Judgment, he used various shapes and forms of the human body to express feelings and emotions. His deep knowledge of anatomy allowed him to depict every muscle, bone, and tendon with exceptional accuracy. He never repeated the same position in another work, which testifies to his exceptional memory and imagination.
Architectural activities
Michelangelo also became famous as an architect. The most important task was the position of the chief architect of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, which he held from 1546 at the age of 71. Michelangelo also participated in other important buildings in Florence and Rome. His famous architectural works include, for example, the design of the Medici Library (Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana) in Florence, where he created an innovative staircase and an original interior design. Its architecture is characterized by an emphasis on harmonious proportions, monumentality and at the same time the preservation of the human dimension of buildings. It used simple geometric shapes, regularity and symmetry, which distinguished it from Gothic architecture. He often worked with a combination of stone and brick, decorated facades with stucco or marble cladding, and was not afraid to experiment with new elements, such as external columns, domes or staircases as independent architectural landmarks.
Michelangelo's legacy in modern architecture
The beauty of art can be admired by everyone – regardless of the boundaries of time. The Spanish company oleeee is coming to the European market with a unique housing concept. The modular villa Michelangelo combines modern technology with fragments of Renaissance art. When depicting the artistic fragments on the front façade, the glass itself is used as a basis for the printing of the artistic motif. The model villa works with the work of Michelangelo Buonarroti. The front façade of the villa is thus dominated by the print of the iconic touch of hands from the work of the Creation of Adam. Artistic fragments can be personalized by future owners of the villa in their size, location and number. Villa Michelangelo is designed for clients who are looking for exclusivity, appreciate the uniqueness of architecture and like to present their artistic sense.