Studies for "Pieta" or "The Last Judgement" 1530

Michelangelo made this drawing, Studies for “Pieta” or “The Last Judgement”, with black chalk on paper. The anatomical studies depict a torso and arm, possibly in preparation for a sculpture or painting of either the Pieta or The Last Judgement. The image shows us how the Renaissance valued the body. In Florence during the 15th and 16th centuries, there was a renewed interest in classical art and learning, called humanism, which emphasized human potential and achievement. The Church was the most important patron of the arts during the Renaissance, meaning artists were commissioned to create religious works that would inspire and edify the faithful. Michelangelo had a deep understanding of human anatomy, which he studied through dissection. His anatomical studies, as shown here, reflects both the artist's deep engagement with humanism and his artistic training. The art historian is an important bridge to the social and institutional context for which this drawing was made. We may want to study letters and contracts, or the writings of contemporary scholars, to understand the function of anatomical drawings and their place in the social world of Renaissance Italy.