Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/262

 218 Sloan's Architectural Review and Builders' Journal. [Sept., treasures, thus become public property, are a number of letters, from his illus- trious cotemporaries, and several unpub- lished works by Michael Angelo himself. Michael Angelo's personal appearance coukl not be termed prepossessing. He ■was of medium height, and broad shoul- dered. His forehead was ample, and expressed great intellect. His hazel eyes were lively and expressive. His nose had been considerably injured by a blow from Torrigiano. The great artist was rather fond of solitude ; but liked in later life the company of the learned. He was exceedingly free from avarice ; and worked much more for the love of art than for gold. Michael Angelo frequently expressed himself in verse with considerable ability. He composed a sonnet on the death of Tittoria Colonna, Marchioness of Pes- cara, a lady whose superior mental endowments had won his highest esteem. Some of his fugitive pieces have been collected by Wordsworth, and were published with a scholarly and chaste introduction by Mr. I. E. Taylor. In the elegant language of Roscoe, "as a " poet, he is entitled to rank high among " lnXcountrymen ; and the triple wreaths "of poetry, painting and architecture, "with which his disciples decorated his "tomb, might, without exaggeration, " have been interwoven with a fourth." As a man, his personal character was unspotted ; as an artist, his fame is unsurpassed; and his years of action form a proud era in the history of Italian art. The life of the great Florentine was protracted beyond the ordinary period granted to the human race. During its span were many great and important changes. He saw the termination of the Middle Ages ; and beheld all their institutions vanish. In his day, the dis- covery of America, the expulsion of the Moors, and the publication of the finest edition of the Holy Scriptures so far known, were the most important events occurring to Spain, then the greatest monarchy of Europe. He marked the diadem pass from the wily Ferdinand, to be worn nervously by Philip II. Meanwhile, in England, the wars of the Roses ceased ; and the great Elizabeth firmly and wisely ruled the realm. Nor was he an uninterested spectator of all these events, whether transpiring at home, or abroad. His own native soil was greatly convulsed. The French were then the plague of Italy, and long and fearful -were the contests of Charles VIII. and Louis XII. Rome was sacked by the Constable de Bourbon; and the Florentines were forced to "Own a sceptre und endure a purple robe." Michael Angelo enjoyed the friendship of six Popes, and all the learned of his time; and now, when the postilion points out the distant city, with the ex- clamation, " ecco Roma!" the first ob- ject that strikes the eye is the Church of the chief of the Apostles, whose mighty architect needs no better or more en- during monument than its magnificent Dome. MICHAEL ANGELO — Already well handled above, in a literary point of view, by Mr. Kichards, who has certainly called up before us the very form and spirit of the time—will shortly be our theme for another article or two, wherein the arch-artist will be discussed, with special reference to the history and characteristics of his great architectural works. Few men, not immediately concerned in the government of their fellows, either through arms or polity, or both, ever had a larger share of public attention, or ampler inherent endowments more faithfully cultured to more marvelous general desert. — Eds.