SEATTLE ART MUSEUM PRESENTS MICHELANGELO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE: DRAWINGS FOR THE SISTINE CHAPEL AND OTHER TREASURES

MICHELANGELO'S TOWERING REPUTATION AS THE QUINTESSENTIAL RENAISSANCE MAN -- ARCHITECT, PAINTER, SCULPTOR, POET AND ENGINEER -- INTIMIDATED BOTH HIS CONTEMPORARIES AND LATER HISTORIANS TO THE POINT THAT THE ADJECTIVE 'DIVINE' BECAME A FIXTURE ATTACHED TO HIS NAME. 'MICHELANGELO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE: DRAWINGS FOR THE SISTINE CHAPEL AND OTHER TREASURES FROM THE CASA BUONARROTI', WHICH IS ON VIEW FROM 15.OCTOBER.2009 THROUGH 31.JANUARY.201, IS A STUNNING NEW EXHIBITION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER ONE OF ART HISTORY'S GREATEST FIGURES TO SEATTLE FOR THE FIRST TIME. DRAWN EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE CASA BUONARROTI IN FLORENCE, THE SHOW EXPLORES MICHELANGELO'S COMPLEX PERSONALITY AND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF HIS LIFE AND CAREER. CENTERED AROUND TWELVE ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY MICHELANGELO, THE EXHIBITION ALSO FEATURES PORTRAITS OF THE ARTIST, PERSONAL DOCUMENTS AND DECORATIVE ARTS FROM THE CASA BUONARROTI. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF TE EXHIBITION IS MICHELANGELO'S PRELIMINARY WORK FOR THE SISTINE CHAPEL AND THE LAST JUDGMENT. TOGETHER, THESE OBJECTS GIVE MODERN VIEWERS INSIGHT INTO THE ARTIST'S WORKING PROCESS, FROM SKETCHES TO FINISHED STUDIES. THIS EXPOSURE WOULD HAVE APPALLED MICHELANGELO, WHO BURNED MANY OF HIS DRAWINGS HOPING TO SUSTAIN THE IDEA THAT DIVINE INSPIRATION, NOT HUMAN LABOR, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS CELEBRATED MASTERPIECES.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.seattleartmuseum.org