What you might not know about Michelangelo and what the great master was hiding

You probably know who Michelangelo Buonarroti is. David, the Sistine Chapel, you have seen or at least heard of these masterpieces. This is what a great creator is associated with. But this is what lies on the surface. The creator of divine works of art had his own dark secrets.



GettyImages And today's editorial office "Site" He'll tell you about them. Here are some facts from the life of the master, which you may not know.

The greatest painter, sculptor and architect of the Renaissance Michelangelo Buonarroti was born on March 6, 1475. Already during his lifetime, the master was called “divine”. His most famous works are The Sistine Chapel and The Creation of Adam. He was also responsible for the completion of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

And, of course, he created the most famous sculpture in the world – the statue of David. He had an incredible knowledge of anatomy and was a connoisseur of true beauty. But what was behind it? Let's find out.



Michelangelo's study of anatomy is known as a master of sculpture. He could create a human body in marble in great detail. This required an exceptional knowledge of human anatomy. And he had it. But it did not appear on its own, but after hard work. To obtain the necessary knowledge, Michelangelo spent a lot of time in the morgue, studying the bodies of the dead.



As you know, at first the artist earned by making fake sculptures. It made him a lot of money. The most famous of the possible fakes is the sculpture “Laocoon and his sons”. Its authorship is attributed to three Rhodes sculptors. However, in 2005, it was suggested that it could be the work of Michelangelo. The researchers referred to him as one of the first to discover the sculpture.



Another interesting detail from the life of the artist: he rarely signed his works and did not leave behind a self-portrait. But he still managed to capture his face in some works. One of these secret self-portraits is in the fresco “The Last Judgment” in the Sistine Chapel. It depicts Saint Bartholomew. In his hands he holds a piece of skin, which is the face of Michelangelo.



Researchers of the life of the creator claim that he was sick for the last 15 years of his life. He suffered from osteoarthritis. Experts say the disease developed after working on the Florentine Pieta. Only work helped him not to lose his ability to work.

Some evidence proves that the genius master openly neglected personal hygiene. He always wore tall shoes and had a habit of sleeping without taking them off. It came to the fact that he removed parts of the skin along with shoes. This was told by Giorgio Vasari in his book “Life of the most outstanding painters, sculptors and architects”. Researchers suggest that it is the lack of self-care that has led to persistent illness.



As you can see, even the most famous artists can have some nasty secrets. We don't know if Michelangelo Buonarroti really was like that. These facts are hardly the ultimate truth. But they are secrets to raise doubts. All this, of course, does not change the fact that the master was a genius. He left behind many masterpieces that we can admire!