This fascinating exhibition highlights just how passionate the artist was in his work was even in his final years.
Poet, sculptor, painter and architect, Michelangelo was of course a man of many talents and as this engaging and in many ways spiritual exhibition shows the importance of friendship in creating work that they approved of was of immense importance to him.
By focusing on the last decades of the artist’s life, this exhibition feels really quite poignant as in many of the works that he created during this time saw him becoming increasingly spiritual – highlighted in the section which focuses on his friendship with Vittoria Colonna, a poet who was part of the spirituali (a group of religious reformers) – their shared poems on display that captures perfectly their bond in spirituality.
Throughout the exhibition, the artist’s voice is heard throughout – whether through voice overs during the gallery or the numerous letters he sent to those he cared about the most – it brings his personality to life. However, it does feel like that his letters and poetry take more of a centre stage than the drawings and impressive commissions he was tasked with during this time.
Taking us from the drawings of The Last Testament, a fresco that went onto cover the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, all the way through to the poignancy of his portrayal of Jesus’s crucifixion, it reveals an artist (who even when the pain in his fingers meant he had to adapt in the way in which he worked) that was immensely passionate about his work.
There is much to be admired about the delicacy of the drawings that are on display, that allow the visitor to get up close and personal (you can tell just how fragile they are) to really absorb what you are looking at and admire the level of detail that has been put into each drawing – and how painstaking the process in creating an overall painting or fresco was, captured perfectly in the section that focuses on The Last Testament.
Despite his protests to the contrary, his eye for detail also made him an ideal architect – just looking at his initial designs for the dome of St Peter’s Basilica are extraordinary or even the simplicity of the design of a salt cellar (yes really) showcases just how extraordinary he was no matter how large or small the project was.
A consistent of this exhibition is the way in which it meticulously goes deep into the creation of particular pieces of work and how it developed and influenced the work of others including that of his collaborator Marcello Venusti (there’s an exquisite take on The Crucifixion to be admired).
It is a very discreet exhibition that is simply displayed that allows Michelangelo’s work to stand out – if only there was more of it and perhaps less of his letters to allow the power of the artist to shine through more. The balance between man and artist just doesn’t seem quite there – but it does make for a fascinating way to focus on Michelangelo.
The main thing that I personally took away from the exhibition was that his passion for his work never dimmed and by his interactions with friends in these last decades changed his focus, adding more poignancy that makes for moving viewing here.
Perhaps the delicacy of the work on display will not appeal to everybody visiting but there is a a whole serenity to the exhibition that is pleasing and makes you want to linger as long as possible over each piece.
By Emma Clarendon
Michelangelo: The Last Decades is on display at the British Museum until the 28th July 2024.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐