This episode is Michelangelo’s final chapter, and I will help you understand the artistic philosophy of this master, further enabling you to appreciate him and his works.
“The Unfinished Completion,” Creating a Master Among Masters
- Michelangelo dedicated his life to artistic creation, producing numerous pinnacle works, especially in sculpture, which deeply influenced future artists and remains an unsurpassable peak in the history of sculpture. Michelangelo represents an emotional, highly dramatic artistic style, and to understand him and his works, one must grasp his artistic philosophy and understand his views on sculpture and art.
- Michelangelo’s achievements in painting were significant, but he always saw himself as a sculptor with a natural sensitivity to stone. Once, when he saw a block of stone freshly quarried from Carrara in Florence, Michelangelo walked over, tapped the stone, and said, “Hmm, Moses is sitting in here.” Michelangelo believed that what he did was simply liberating the sculptural form already existing within the stone.
- Michelangelo’s approach to sculpture was unique and quite different from many other sculptors. Most sculptors start working on a stone block from all sides, carving bit by bit until the form emerges. In contrast, Michelangelo would begin only from the front, allowing the sculpture to emerge from the stone, as if he was merely removing the surrounding excess material and letting the form reveal itself.
- Michelangelo’s distinctive sculpting technique demonstrated his core ability as a master artist—his imagination. Before even beginning to carve, he already knew what the final piece would look like, with its essence fully realized. This foresight ensured that each of his works had a solid, definitive character. For a master artist, technique is important, but what matters more is knowing what makes a great work of art, having the imagination and design to bring it to life.
- Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci are two of the most brilliant masters in the history of human art, and their greatest divergence lay in their understanding of the purpose of art, which led to differing views on painting and sculpture. Da Vinci, who valued science, believed that painting was a scientific endeavor, based on rational verification after sensual observation, a method of studying nature, and thus considered painting superior to sculpture. Michelangelo, on the other hand, believed that the task of art was to depict the greatness of the Creator. The world created by the Creator is three-dimensional, and thus sculpture was the best form of expression, while painting was merely a projection.
- Michelangelo’s love for sculpture also stemmed from his belief that sculpture offered more sensory dimensions. While painting could only be viewed from a single perspective with the eyes, sculpture could be appreciated from multiple angles, and one could also feel its texture and surface. This demonstrates that Michelangelo’s artistic philosophy was sensual, seeking direct enjoyment through the senses.
- Michelangelo’s late sculptures express his understanding of the “unfinished completion” of art. The sculpture Madonna and Child, at first glance, may seem rough and unfinished, with many considering it an incomplete work of Michelangelo. However, the artwork and its surrounding environment together form the complete artistic experience. The same piece of art can evoke entirely different emotions depending on its context. Therefore, Michelangelo’s late works may not be unfinished; the uncarved parts of the stone could be Michelangelo’s “environment” created for you.
- Michelangelo’s late works, embodying “unfinished completion,” marked a transcendence of his artistic status and style. This represents a true master’s self-breaking achievement. It was not only Michelangelo; Donatello, in his later years, dared to create “the beauty of the ugly”; Titian, in his later years, produced “the light of darkness”; and Beethoven, in his later years, composed pieces with “the ugliness of beauty.” They were not satisfied with their peak moments and achieved transcendence, becoming masters among masters.
Michelangelo – Moses Sitting Statue: When he saw this block of stone, he walked over, tapped it, and said, “Hmm, Moses is sitting in here.”
Michelangelo – Madonna and Child: Many people believe this piece was unfinished, but it is likely an example of the “unfinished completion.”
Three hundred years later, we see what appears to be unfinished works in Rodin’s sculptures, showing how ahead of his time Michelangelo was.
During the renovation of the Orsay Museum, to make Renoir’s painting more impactful, the background walls were intentionally painted dark gray. This shows that an artwork is completed together with its environment.
Tips
Where else can you see Michelangelo’s works?
When we think about viewing artworks, we often think of museums and art galleries. However, many works are also housed in private residences. Michelangelo’s late sculptures Day, Night, Dawn, and Dusk can be seen at the Medici family’s San Lorenzo Church in Florence, which also houses works by Donatello. It’s definitely worth visiting and appreciating.
