Michelangelo, Vasari and their Contemporaries

Ever wanted an inside look at the working process of Michelangelo? Personally, I have a soft spot in my heart for Italy and the Renaissance. One of the best ways to understand the working mind of an artist is to study their drawings, notes, and sketches. From time to time the New York Times has great little slide shows that discuss art. This one talks about “Michelangelo, Vasari and Their Contemporaries,” by looking at the drawings they made.

I like some of the points that are emphasized in the slideshow article, such as, If you could do a perfect drawing, he came to think, why bother to turn it into a painting or sculpture? For Michelangelo drawing was the most practical and personal medium; it was a laboratory, a diary, an end in itself. Additionally, the article implies that the development of great artists is a collective effort where each artist learned from and drew from each other’s ideas and creative efforts. Our different perspectives can be useful to each other so it is important to be open-minded to different art, artists, and art students. (Michelangelo, sketch of a head---right.)

Some of the pictures in the slide show (worth checking out) demonstrates the artists’ work ethic towards being great. From a teaching point of view, I have to chuckle at this quote from Michelangelo to a slacker art student, “Draw, Antonio; draw, Antonio; draw and don’t waste time,” he scrawled on a sketch he gave to a lackadaisical young pupil and studio assistant, Antonio Mini, in 1524.” No one worked half as hard as he did, and slacker artists made him nuts.

(Pontormo, sketch of two figures---left.)

The article also briefly touches on the political atmosphere of the city of Florence, Italy and how it influenced the work of artists during the time of the Renaissance. But most exciting to me is seeing how each artist interpreted the human body through drawing in an expressive and unique way to explore visual space and form. Check out the slideshow essay HERE!