“Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer presents a stunning range and number of works by the artist: 128 of his drawings, 3 of his marble sculptures, his earliest painting, and his wood architectural model for a chapel vault. A substantial body of complementary works by his teachers, associates, pupils, and artists who were influenced by him or who worked in collaboration with him are also displayed for comparison and context.

A towering genius in the history of Western art, Michelangelo was celebrated during his long life for the excellence of his disegno, the power of drawing and invention that provided the foundation for all of the arts. For his mastery of drawing, design, sculpture, painting, and architecture, he was called Il divino (“the divine one”) by his contemporaries. His powerful imagery and dazzling technical virtuosity transported viewers and imbued all of his works with a staggering force that continues to enthrall us today.” — The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dr. Carmen C. Bambach, curator of the exhibition, commented: “This selection of more than 200 works will show that Michelangelo’s imagery and drawings still speak with an arresting power today. Five hundred years seem to melt away in looking at his art.”

Photographs by Corrado Serra.

Domenico Ghirlandaio (Domenico Bigordi). (Italian, Florence 1448/49– 1494 Florence). Drapery study of a standing figure. 1485-90. Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe degli Uffizi, Florence

Michelangelo Buonarroti (Italian, Caprese 1475–1564 Rome). The Torment of Saint Anthony, ca. 1487–88. Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth

Michelangelo Buonarroti. Unfinished cartoon for a Madonna and Child, 1525–30. Casa Buonarroti, Florence

Michelangelo Buonarroti. The Holy Family with Two Angels, mid 1520’s. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Installation View of Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer

Michelangelo Buonarroti. Left: Young Man in Bust Length in Exotic Costume (the so-called Persian Boy), mid 1520-25. The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Right: Portrait of Andrea Quaratesi, 1532. The British Museum, London

Michelangelo Buonarroti. Male Torso (recto), 1524-25. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Daniele da Volterra (Daniele Ricciarelli) (Italian, Volterra 1509–1566 Rome). Michelangelo Buonarroti. Probably ca. 1544. The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Michelangelo and the carpenters of the Fabbrica di San Pietro in Vaticano. Model of the Vault of the Chapel of the King of France. Fabbrica di San Pietro in Vaticano, Vatican City