Bruges Madonna by Michelangelo

Bruges Madonna by
Michelangelo
Barbara Wang
About the Sculpture
● The Bruges Madonna is a sculpture
of Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus
created by the infamous artist
Michelangelo.
● It was created in the early 15th
century (approx. 1504).
● It is currently located in the Notre
Dame Cathedral in Bruges, Belgium.
● The sculpture is made out of marble
and is 121.9 cm (48 in) tall with a
weight of about 2 tons.
About the Sculpture
● It is from the Late Renaissance period (1500-1600) because it
used the contrast of light and dark called chiaroscuro,
perfection of anatomy, and Roman style of robes.
● Renaissance artists preferred to mimic ancient Roman fashion.
● The realistic, natural folds of the Madonna’s robes and her
serious face/slumped body language give the impression that
the Virgin is in a solemn mood, possibly because she knows of
her son’s future sacrifice.
● In contrast, Jesus is nude and stepping out of his mother’s
grasp, and there are no shadows on his figure, giving him a
pure, divine appearance, as he a young child and the Son of
God.
About the Artist
● Michelangelo Buonarroti lived from
1475-1564.
● He is known for being a versatile artist,
involving himself in architecture,
painting and sculpting.
● Until he was 13, he was an apprentice for
an acclaimed Florentine painter named
Domenico Ghirlandaio.
● At 17, he began sculpting after being
influenced by the Florentine duke’s
ancient Roman sculpture collection.
About the Artist
● He began his most famous work at the Sistine Chapel in Rome in
1508 where he painted the ceiling, as requested by Pope Julius II.
● Like the Sistine Chapel painting, Michelangelo’s work involved
religious themes derived from the stories in the Bible, mostly because
his patrons were the popes.
● One of his wealthy patrons included popes including Pope Paul III for
whom he painted The Last Judgement in 1534.
● The Medici Chapel was one of his largest sculptural projects where he
created a tomb for deceased Medici heirs named Giuliano and
Lorenzo.
● In his last years, he focused primarily less physically-grueling work
like architecture and painting due to his old age.
Importance of the Artwork
● People of all ethnicities, religions, and social classes understand the
significance of a beautiful masterpiece like the Madonna, even Nazis.
● In September 1944, the head of the German arts protection organization
named Dr. Rosemann was ordered to save the sculpture. He stated, “Get
the mattresses...For protection from Allied bombs. The Americans are
not like us; they are savages. How can they appreciate this?” (Edsel and
Witter 99).
● In June 1945, American Monuments Man Thomas Carr Howe Jr.
described the sculpture. He stated with admiration, “the light of our
lamps played over the soft folds of the Madonna’s robe, the delicate
modeling of her face. Her grave eyes looked down, seemed only half
aware of the sturdy Child nestling close against her” (Edsel and Witter
Importance of the Artwork
● The fact that any person, whether
they be from the 16th or 21st
century, can comprehend these
emotions and personalities through
a piece of stone is remarkable.
● The fact that two men from
completely different ethnic
backgrounds saw the same beauty in
a 500 year old sculpture also
furthers its importance.
Stephen Kovalyak, George Stout and Thomas Carr Howe
transporting Michelangelo's sculpture Madonna and
child, 1945 July 9
Works Cited
Edsel, Robert M., and Bret Witter. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. New York: Center Street,
2009.
Print.
"Italian Renaissance Culture." Renaissance and Reformation Reference Library. Ed. Julie L. Carnagie, Peggy Saari, and Aaron
Almanac.
Detroit: UXL, 2002. 305-371. World History in Context. Web. 7 Sept. 2014.
Saari. Vol. 2: Vol. 2:
Madonna Michelangelo. Digital image. WIkipedia. N.p., 8 Feb. 2005. Web. 6 Sept. 2014.
"Madonna of Bruges." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Jan. 2014. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.
"Michelangelo Buonarroti." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. World History in Context. Web. 7 Sept. 2014.
"Michelangelo in profile." Arts and Humanities Through the Eras. Ed. Edward I. Bleiberg, et al. Vol. 4: Renaissance Europe 1300-1600. Detroit: Gale, 2005.
World History in Context. Web. 7 Sept. 2014.
Stephen Kovalyak, George Stout and Thomas Carr Howe Transporting Michelangelo's Sculpture Madonna and Child, 1945 July 9. Digital image. Archives of
American Art. Smithsonian Institution, n.d. Web. 7 Sept. 2014.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Chiaroscuro (art)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.
WALLACE, WILLIAM E. "Michelangelo Buonarroti (Born Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, 1475–1564)." Europe, 1450 to 1789:
Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Ed. Jonathan Dewald. Vol. 4. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. 110-113. World History in Context.
Web. 6 Sept.
2014.
Willett, Megan. "These Incredible Works Of Art Were Saved By The Real-Life 'Monuments Men' Of WWII." Business Insider.
20 Feb. 2014. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.
Business Insider, Inc,