BUONAROTTI, MieuAr.t. ANGELO. This cele brated person, who has generally been considered as the great restorer of the arts of painting, of sculpture, and of architeettn e, was horn in 1474. The place of his na tivity was Castel Caprese, in Tuscany ; a fortress of considerable importance in the commonwealth of Flo rence, of which his father was governor. Ile is said to have manifested, CN en in his childhood, a powerful pro pensity to the arts which afterwards immortalized his name ; and when put to school, under the tuition of Francisco d'Urbino, he obstinately persevered in devot ing so large a proportion of his time to drawing, that he made little proficiency in his other studies. It was with great reluctance that his father and his other relations consented to his persevering inclinations ; and so far sa crificed their own view s of family dignity, as to permit him to enter upon the regular study of painting as it pro fession. At the age of fourteen he became the pupil of Domihieo Ghirlandaio, a painter of no inconsiderable me rit, when we take into account the false taste which had so get erally degraded the art at the period when he began to exert his talents ; though, at the same time, it most be admitted, that to the future eminence of those illus trious men who issued from his school, rather than to his own individual success, he is indebted for the place which is assigned to his name in the remembrance of posterity.
Angelo alone secures it front the possibility of oblivion.
It has been mentioned, as an honourable testimony of the high expectations which Michael Angelo had already created, that, on entering the school of Ghirlandaio, it was stipulated that his master should pay him an annual salary, although custom had established the contrary practice of paying to the master a considerable pre mium. It is said, that the jealous temper of Ghirlandaio operated as a frequent bar to the advancement of his pu pils; and Condivi has asserted, what cannot be strictly true, that Michael Angelo became so marked an object of his envy, that he derived no benefit whatever from his instructions. To acquire the power of minute imitation,
was the great object of his first ambition ; and, notwith standing the deviations from individual nature, which his powerful and poetical mind enabled him at an after period to practise with unexampled boldness and suc cess, it is instructive to know, that, at his outset, per haps no man ever devoted himself with more unwearied assiduity to the literal and accurate representation of whatever he attempted to paint ; nor was it till he had se cured actual and real nature as his conductor, that he ventured forth into the perilous regions of ideal grandeur and sublimity.
Among the circumstances which, at this remarkable period, conspired to favour the progress of the arts in Italy, while much must be ascribed to the general diffu sion of a strong and enlightened relish for them in the public mind, they were peculiarly indebted to the libe ral and munificent patronage of the family of Medici. About this time the art of sculpture was supposed to be less understood than that of painting : and it was with a view to its encouragment that Lorenzo de Medici formed an ample collection of statues, busts, and basso relievos ; and free access was afforded to all who were desirous of forming their taste, by studying and drawing from the antique. Of this opportunity Michael Angelo did not fail to avail himself; and though his first inten tion had only been to improve himself in the knowledge of drawing, he soon became enamoured of the art of sculpture ; and the success which attended his first efforts, effectually procured him the marked notice and patro nage of Lorenzo. This was the commencement of an intimacy, which was not less advantageous than nat tering to Michael Angelo. As yet only about fifteen years of age, he was invited to live in the house of Lo renzo. He was treated as a friend,—he enjoyed the con versation of men of rank and genius,—he was permitted free access to the gems and works of art, which were fitted to improve his taste,—and was accommodated with whatever could contribute to his comfort or to his progress.