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MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI – AGES 8 – 9 | ONLINE EDITION

Step 1 - Introducing the Michelangelo Buonarroti Slideshow Guide BEGIN READING HERE

MOTIVATION Please stand up. Pretend you have climbed a very tall, steep ladder. You might even be feeling a bit dizzy when you reach the top, because you are more than sixty feet in the air! That’s like the height of a three story building. There’s a small, flat platform at the top where you can catch your breath and rest after such a long climb. Now, tilt your head back as far as it can go to look at the ceiling which is right above your head. Bend and arch your back so your head goes back even further. Raise your arm up like you are holding a paintbrush. Try to hold this position as I tell you how this relates to our master artist, Michelangelo. Michelangelo spent all his waking hours in this position for four long years! He even wrote a poem about it, illustrated with a little sketch. You haven’t held this position for even four minutes, but I bet you are quite uncomfortable.

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DEVELOPMENT

SKETCH OF PAINTER

You can relax now and sit down. See if Michelangelo’s sketch looks like your position a minute ago. Is his back bent? (YES) Is his head back as far as it can go? (YES) He said “My paintbrush all the day doth drop a rich mosaic of paint on my face.” Do you think he had a very colorful face by the end of each day? (YES) At night he was so exhausted that he would fall into bed with his clothes and boots on. What was Michelangelo working on in this difficult position? His completed masterpiece is one of the most unique and famous works of art in the world. Let’s take a look.

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2. & 3. SISTINE CHAPEL: VIEW TOWARDS ENTRANCE, SISTINE CHAPEL: VIEW TOWARDS ALTAR It is the huge ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. How do you paint such a giant, tall ceiling?

1 MICHElANGELO BUONARROTI– Ages 8 – 9 | MeetTheMasters Online Edition


But was he painting on canvas? (NO) It was a ceiling, so a special technique called fresco painting had to be learned. It was very tricky. His assistants would apply fresh plaster to a section of the ceiling where Michelangelo would paint for the day. He would paint right on the wet plaster so it became a part of the ceiling itself. It was tricky; because it could not be touched up or added to after it dried. In a single day, Michelangelo had to completely finish all of the work planned, or it dried and was spoiled, and he had to plaster over it and start again. Before Michelangelo climbed the ladder to begin work, he planned and prepared for six months. The ceiling has over 300 painted figures of people in scenes from the Bible. Once his general design was in order, he began sketching the individual scenes and figures in detail. He made 200-300 preliminary drawings. Sometimes he used live models and other times he sculpted little figures out of wax and clay. Then he could study the light and shadows to make them realistic. Let’s look at a close-up figure from the Sistine Chapel.


4. PROPHET JEREMIAH This is prophet Jeremiah. Can you pose like Jeremiah? Tell me how Jeremiah must have felt or how you would be feeling if you were sitting like this. (SAD, THOUGHTFUL, DEPRESSED) Notice how all the lines pull downward - his beard, clothing, and his limp left hand. It is believed that Michelangelo used himself as a model for Jeremiah. Do you think this also shows Michelangelo’s emotional state of being tired and overwhelmed with his project? (YES) Notice Jeremiah’s physical size and strength - the powerful lines of his shoulders, arms, and heavy boots. Are his hands ones of pampered royalty or of a worker and doer? (WORKER) Is he in deep thought? (YES) Let’s take a close-up view.


5. DETAIL: PROPHET JEREMIAH Find a realistic detail you notice and admire and point it out in this close-up of Jeremiah. (HAND - VEINS, LINES, BONES, FINGERNAILS; FACE - WRINKLES, CREASES; LIGHT AND SHADOWS) What is the brightest part? (YELLOW SLEEVE) Now follow that highlight upwards along his hand, which leads our eye to his face. There we catch the full extent of his despair. Lost in bitterness, his head sunk on his hand, he gazes downward. Remember, Jeremiah was just one of over 300 figures Michelangelo painted with such detail and realism. Finally, with great relief, Michelangelo declared that the Sistine Chapel was ready to be shown to the world. At the unveiling, people came running from all corners of the earth.



This great work stopped them in amazement. It left them wondering and lost for words. That same is true today for the millions of visitors who marvel at his creation. But what was the artist left with? He ruined his eyesight to the extent that he could not read letters or look at drawings unless they were held high above his eyes. This lasted for several months. Michelangelo was left exhausted by this giant work. But through this difficult process, he became more deeply involved as the work proceeded. He grew enormously in his techniques and ideas. His paintings became more exciting, freer, with more movement and realism. But even with his skill and accomplishment, Michelangelo preferred another kind of art over painting. Let me show you his first love as an artist.


6., 7., 8., & 9. SLIDES – PIETA, PIETA: DETAIL, GIANT BLOCK OF MARBLE, DAVID

(Show and identify four slides.)

9. DAVID First and foremost, Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor. He generally signed his letters and contracts for important works of painting as “Michelangelo the Sculptor.” Time and time again he spoke of his dislike for painting. Michelangelo felt the human body was the most important subject an artist could sculpt or paint. He spent a lot of time studying nature and science to make his masterpieces as lifelike as possible. Unlike other artists of his time, he gave energy and strength to the people he sculpted. He began sculpting as a teenager. His work was so beautiful that no one saw the work of a teenager but that of an admired, accomplished, and well practiced master. He sculpted this next masterpiece at the age of twenty-three.


10. REVERSE – PIETA

“Pieta” is the Italian word for pity. The face of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, shows her eyes downcast, almost shut. There is a quiet stillness in her expression, as she tried to accept the death of her son she is holding. Look closely at both her hands. With one she is supporting his lifeless, heavy body by spreading her fingers for a better grip. Notice the other hand. Show me its position with your hand. (PALM TURNED UPWARD, SUSPENDED) What does that gesture seem to be saying? (QUESTIONING, GRIEF, GIVING UP)



The Pieta established Michelangelo as a master sculptor beyond comparison with any living artists. It was carved from a huge block of marble, but doesn’t it give the impression of softness? Point to where it looks “soft.” (FOLDS OF DRESS, SCARF) Does it look realistic? (YES) Let’s take a close look at just her face.


11. DETAIL: PIETA

It took the artist two years to finish the beautiful sculpture. When it was unveiled, people from all over Europe flocked to Rome. It was unanimously praised and admired. But the artist overheard a man informing an admiring crowd one day that the Pieta was the work of a certain artist from Milan--not Michelangelo who came from Florence. The following night, Michelangelo took his tools, and in beautiful Roman letters he carved his name on the sculpture. Can you find his signature? (ON BAND THAT RUNS DIAGONALLY ACROSS MARY’S CHEST) Never again would anyone mistake his work for someone else’s! He carved these words “Michelangelo Buonarroti (my-kel-AN-jel-loe bwoh-nah-ROE-tee) from Florence made this.” Let’s turn our attention now to a sculpture that started as such an enormous block of marble that it was affectionately named, “The Giant.”


12. GIANT BLOCK OF MARBLE

Not only was the block huge, but the amount of work, time, and danger involved in getting it out of a mountain and transporting it to the city was immense. The giant block had to be painstakingly hauled down the mountain by ropes and pulleys, transferred to an ox-drawn cart, and finally loaded on to a barge to be taken up the river to Florence. But that name, “giant,” took on another meaning very soon.


13. DAVID There is a story in the Bible about a young man named David who goes to battle with an enemy soldier named Goliath. Goliath was renowned for being a huge________ (GIANT). Guess who won the battle between David and Goliath? (DAVID) So Michelangelo took “The Giant” block of superb marble and sculpted it into David the hero. It is very large and nearly takes your breath away as you gaze in wonder at the artists’ creation. It stands seventeen feet tall!




14. DETAIL: DAVID Michelangelo shows David about to go to battle with Goliath. His face shows intense concentration, as he holds his only weapon over his shoulder - a slingshot. Could that be a frown with his eyebrows drawn down? He watches alertly with the loaded slingshot held lightly, as he gazes into the distance, waiting for Goliath to come within range. Notice the beautiful details of his curly hair, the lines of his face, neck, and thumb. The model for the statue was a teenage boy in Florence. The city of Florence hired Michelangelo and built a shed around “The Giant” marble block, so Michelangelo could work in privacy. He began in 1501 and finished it in 1504. Michelangelo was already famous for his Pieta. The David established him as the greatest sculptor in all of Italy. We’ve witnessed Michelangelo’s incredible skill as a painter of the Sistine Chapel, as an unsurpassed sculptor in the Pieta and David. But his talents didn’t end there. For what else is he famous? Let’s take a look. You will be surprised!


15. ST. PETER’S CHURCH He is also famous as an architect! What does an architect do? (DESIGNS BUILDINGS) Michelangelo was seventy years old when Pope Paul appointed him chief architect of St. Peter’s in Rome. Michelangelo worked on St. Peter’s for the rest of his life. It was a huge undertaking, and finally at age eighty-two, the artist realized he would not live to see it completed. - Click Next To Change Slide 16. ST. PETER’S DOME So he built a model of the great dome, which he took particular interest in designing. It was still under construction when he died at age eighty-nine, but the builders had his model to direct them. St. Peter’s was the crowning achievement of his remarkable life. He refused to accept any payment for his seventeen years of work on the church. Even at age eighty-nine he visited the construction site everyday to check on the progress. Let’s walk up the broad steps to view the inside of Michelangelo’s famous dome. Will it be plain or richly decorated?


17. INTERIOR OF ST. PETER’S DOME Isn’t it beautiful with its design and decoration? Notice how he included many windows to shed light on the decorations and the large altar that sits directly beneath the great dome.




18. RENAISSANCE

What was the world like in Michelangelo’s lifetime? Between 1300 and 1600, life in Europe was exciting. It was a new age of thinking, learning, and art. It is called the Renaissance, which means rebirth - a new beginning. Explorers set out to explore the New World, scientists were making new discoveries, and Michelangelo astonished the world with his unsurpassed artistic talents.


19. SELF-PORTRAIT Michelangelo - painter, sculptor, architect - a true Renaissance man!

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Step 2 - Learning From: Michelangelo Buonarroti Michelangelo was one of the most famous architects of his time. Every building must have a foundation or a floor. Michelangelo used bricks or block of stone to make the foundations

of his buildings.

Drawing Bricks Bricks must be staggered or overlapping each other for strength, to create a strong floor.

Draw vertical lines in these boxes to make bricks.

Michelangelo’s building designs were very realistic. They had highlights and shadows. The highlights happen when sunlight hits one side. The other side is in shadow.

Use a yellow crayon to make highlights and a purple or blue crayon to make shadows.



Renaissance buildings were decorated with designs. Michelangelo used patterns to decorate his architectural designs.

Copy his designs onto the blank ‘stones’ in the boxes below. Save this page for your art project when you will create a building.



The last few pages of this section contain the Art Activity for Michelangelo Buonarroti. This step-by-step outline will be a guide for instructing your child(ren) through the activity. The parent/instructor should review all steps necessary to complete this project before beginning any work. Cut out the Artist Profile Slip below and attach it to the back of the completed art project. MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI (my-kel-AN-jel-low bwoh-nah-ROW-tee) Italian 1475-1564

Michelangelo was a Renaissance genius. His famous paintings, sculptures, and architecture were explored and admired as the children learned about his life and art.

ART ACTIVITY EMPHASIS: Architectural Form MEDIA: Colored Chalk, Dry Tempera, “Marbleized” Paper MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI (my-kel-AN-jel-low bwoh-nah-ROW-tee) Italian 1475-1564

Michelangelo was a Renaissance genius. His famous paintings, sculptures, and architecture were explored and admired as the children learned about his life and art.

ART ACTIVITY EMPHASIS: Architectural Form MEDIA: Colored Chalk, Dry Tempera, “Marbleized” Paper



Step 3 - Working With: Art Activity Instructions ARTIST Michelangelo Buonarroti (my-kel-AN-jel-low bwoh-nah-ROW-tee) 1475 - 1564 Italian ART ELEMENTS Form MEDIA Paper and chalk EMPHASIS Renaissance architectural form

LEVEL Intermediate VOCABULARY Architect, column, dome, foundation, Renaissance, sculptor, marble, design, header, highlight, shadow PRINT St. Peter’s Basilica SUGGESTED MUSIC Music to inspire artists

©

MATERIALS FOR INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENTS One - 9” x 12” sheet of brown construction paper Two - 6” x 9” sheets of manila construction paper One - large newsprint “placemat” One - paper plate One - paper towel Artist Profile Slip Brown soft chalk White soft chalk One - cotton ball Three - Q-tips (1 for glue) Purple dry tempera (1/2 tsp. on paper plate per student) Yellow dry tempera (1/2 tsp. on paper plate per student) Two spoons (for instructor only to distribute dry tempera) Scissors and Glue Completed Michelangelo’s Learning Packet PREPARATION Place the Michelangelo print in front of the room. Construct an example to become familiar with the procedure. Have your paper plate with dry tempera and other supplies close by. Tape the manila pieces to the board. SET-UP [ 5 minutes ] Distribute the materials: SUPPLIES [4] One cotton ball, 3 Q-Tips, brown chalk, and white chalk to each student PAPER [6] One sheet of newsprint, one brown construction paper, two 6” x 9” pieces of manila paper, one paper plate, one paper towel, and artist profile slip to each student



Instructor will distribute ½ tsp. of each color of dry tempera to each student’s paper plate. ORIENTATION [ 2 minutes ] Michelangelo was a superb painter, sculptor, and architect. His last efforts went into designing the largest church in the world, St. Peters. Today you will be an architect, just like Michelangelo. You will design and construct your own Renaissance building. Demonstration AND ACTIVITY ORGANIZE YOUR WORK AREA [ 3 minutes ] 1.Set the large brown paper on the floor or out of the way. 2.Center the newsprint on the top of your desk like a placemat. 3.Put the manila papers in the center of the newsprint. 4.Place chalk on one side of the paper plate which should be set on one corner of your desk. 5.Put your paper towel next to your paper plate. 6.Lay the cotton ball and Q-tips on the paper towel. 7.Your artist profile slip, scissors, and glue can go on the other corner of your desk. CREATING MARBLE [ 3 minutes ] 1.Use the edge side of the soft brown chalk to lightly cover the two pieces of manila. This is done very quickly! Keeping the brown chalk flat on its side, draw five “lightning bolt” lines going in different directions on each paper. 2.Repeat the “lightning bolt” lines with the soft white chalk on both pieces. 3.Use the cotton ball to gently blend using strokes that flow in the direction of the first brown chalk lines. Look at the marble blocks you have created! THE FOUNDATION [ 8 minutes ] 1.Fold one 6” x 9” piece of “marble” in half lengthwise. Cut it in half to make two 3” x 9” long rectangles. 1. 2.Fold one long rectangle in half and in half again Cut lengthwise to make four long rectangle lengths of marble. Go over the fold lines with a line of brown chalk.



3.Draw bricks on the four long rectangle lengths of marble (enlarged below). Remember to alternate the vertical lines.

THE ROOF [ 5 minutes ] 1.Use the remaining 3” x 9” rectangle to create a triangle roof. Fold the paper in half without creasing the fold, only “pinching” the top of the fold to mark the center. Open the fold. 2.Using the brown chalk, draw a triangle, with the pinched fold as the top. Cut out the triangle and set it aside. Pinch

3.

THE WALLS (COLUMNS) [7 minutes ]

1.Fold the other 6” x 9” piece of marble paper in half width wise, and in half again. Leave folded. 2.The students will draw a column shape and then cut through the folded 4 layers to make four columns the same shape. Set aside.

Examples of Column Shapes

PREPARE THE BACKGROUND [ 2 minutes ] Add texture to the large dark brown paper by placing it between open-fingered hands and squeezing fingers together to “warm” the paper.



Move the hands around to slightly wrinkle the paper. Place paper flat and smooth out. Place the large brown paper vertically on your desk. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN [ 7 minutes ]

1.Begin the building with the foundation. Decide how many layers of brick floors, or steps the building will have. Choose one, two, or three (reserving at least one layer for the header). Lay the “bricks” across the bottom of the brown paper. The “bricks” can be trimmed to form steps on each end.

2.Next, lay out the columns, choosing a design that uses three or four columns. When complete, glue down the steps and the columns. Encourage the students to use a small amount of glue on the top and bottom of the columns, so that they can stand away from the brown background and seem three dimensional.

1.Use the remaining brick piece or pieces, if desired, to create a ceiling or header on top of the columns. The header should be at least as long as the column arrangement is wide. Glue down. 2.Place the triangle roof on top of the header, centered, and glue down. It is possible that the top of the roof will extend beyond the background paper. DETAIL AND DECORATION [ 8 minutes ] Michelangelo’s buildings had carved designs and detail. Look in the Learning Packet for ideas. With the brown chalk, decorate the header and the top and bottom of the columns. Put some pattern designs in the roof triangle.



SHADOW AND HIGHLIGHT [ 5 minutes ] Choose the position of the sun. The highlight will be on one side of the column, the shadow on the opposite. 1. Dip one Q-tip in the dry yellow paint and apply it to the highlighted side of the columns.

Use a vertical stroke. 2. Dip the other Q-tip in the dry purple paint to create shadows. Use the same application

technique. 3. Put the shadows and highlights on the individual bricks and on the roof, overhang, and

carved details.




4. Tap the edge of the brown paper onto the newsprint to shake off extra dry paint. Fold up the newsprint with the paint and scraps inside to discard.

MOUNTING THE ARTIST PROFILE SLIP [ 1 minute ] (Profile slips for each artist are provided. They give a brief description of the artist, the technique, and the media used in the art activity. They should be mounted on the back of each art project after it is completed.) 1. Write your name on the front of the artist profile slip. 2. Using glue, mount the profile slip on the back of your artwork. 3. Encourage students to discuss their artwork at home using this artist slip of information.

CONCLUSION I hope you enjoyed your day as an architect. Maybe some of you will become architects when you grow up and design real buildings that will last as long as Michelangelo’s masterpiece, St. Peter’s Church in Rome, Italy.

THIS CONCLUDES MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI UNIT.

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