Michelangelo, the High Renaissance to Mannerism

About this course

The course places Michelangelo’s sculpture, painting, architecture and poetry within the cultural, religious and political developments of sixteenth-century Italy. Lectures, slide presentations, activities and group discussion consider his relationships with patrons and contemporaries, including Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Sofonisba Anguissola and Giorgio Vasari. Selected works, including the Pietà, David, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the Medici Chapel, The Last Judgment and the Rondanini Pietà, are used to explore power, devotion, the body, gender, patronage and the aesthetic of the unfinished. The course also examines how Vasari and Ascanio Condivi shaped Michelangelo’s later reputation.

What you'll learn

• Describe changes in Michelangelo’s artistic practice across different media and periods of his career.
• Analyse selected works and relate their significance to Renaissance society and artistic culture.
• Discuss how patrons, contemporaries and biographers influenced Michelangelo’s work and reputation.

Is this course right for you?

The course is suitable for learners at all levels. Participants will be expected to follow written and spoken instructions, demonstrations, handouts and health and safety information, and will be invited to contribute to group discussions.

• Includes lecturer-led teaching alongside group discussion and activities.
• Requires engagement with written and verbal course information.

Before you go

• Handouts will be provided through Google Classroom.
• A notebook may be useful for taking notes.
• Learners may wish to purchase books from any reading list provided.