tour 4 of 5
Michelangelo
The Medici Chapel
Michelangelo did not just draw and paint frescoes. He was also
an architect, but he considered himself first and foremost a
sculptor. In 1520, he designed the tombs for a chapel in Florence
where the rich and powerful Medici family were to be buried.
Michelangelo designed tomb figures in much the same way as he
planned the Sistine Chapel, by doing detailed drawings in chalk. In
the early sketch of the tomb you can see how he tried out different
heights and layouts.
Michelangelo decided to carve Night and Day on
one of the tombs. His drawings show incredible detail - can you see
the bulging veins on Day's leg? Day's arm is
behind his back in a position that in real life would be very
uncomfortable, yet Michelangelo manages to make it look
graceful.
Resources for teachers
Discussion points and activities on the Medici Chapel
Download teacher notes (25 Kb)