Michelangelo Buonarroti

Michelangelo was reluctant to accept the commission to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling. He regarded himself first and foremost as a sculptor, not a painter. Seeing the majesty and grace of his marble sculptures, such as David and the Pietà, it is easy to understand why. When carving marble, Michelangelo wanted to give life and movement to the human forms he believed lay hidden in the block of stone. He wanted to finish his large-scale work, the decoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, as soon as possible so that he could return to an earlier commission, the tomb of Pope Julius II.

From the page of The Creation of Adam (detail)

Michelangelo put his passion for art before human relationships; he had no time for light conversation. He usually worked alone, in complete silence. He could become so absorbed in his work that on one occasion, when he pulled off his boots, his skin came off with his socks. A man of fiery temperament, he was also capable of great passions. Behind his art, beyond human emotions, lies a passion for form — especially the male body. His greatest love was beyond all doubt a man 34 years younger than himself, Tommaso dei Cavalieri, to whom he dedicated more than 300 madrigals and sonnets.

From the page of The Conversion of Saint Paul