Michelangelo and Leonardo, both Italian and famous painters of the High Renaissance era, are each unique and different in their own ways. Although both were painters and sculptors, they each had a unique talent that distinguishes them. While Leonardo was a scientist, Michelangelo was an architect and wrote poetry. The two have a ton in common, but if I had to pick only one to be the greatest artist of all time, I would pick Michelangelo.
Michelangelo worked with a variety of sizes, dimensions and materials to explore the human anatomy and make his work as realistic and appealing to the eye as possible. His most famous work has to be the ceiling of the "Sistine Chapel" in the Vatican. It took him four years to complete more than 5,000 square feet of detailed and atomically correct frescoes depicting scenes from "The Book of Genesis," including depictions like the "Creation," "The Fall of Eden" and even "Noah's Deluge." Because of Michelangelo's background and love for sculpture, his figures seem almost three dimensional, making them not seem like paintings, but rather sculpture like. His works of art depict elegance and ideal beauty tying back to the ideas of the ancient Greeks.
Another one of his works that qualifies him to be the best artist is his "Statue of David," which was started in 1501 and completed three years later in 1504. Michelangelo worked day and night through all times of weather conditions in the courtyard to sculpt this 14 foot symbol of liberty and freedom to ancient Italians. The sculpture is named David after the character in the Bible from the story David and Goliath, in where David defeated Goliath using a only a sling shot, a rock and his faith and courage in God. Originally, the sling and trunk of the sculpture where covered in gold leaf, but due to the erosion of weather conditions from it being displayed outside in Piazza della Signoria, they can no longer be seen. It wasn't until 1873 that the sculpture was moved indoors into Galleria dell’Accademia to protect it from damage and further weathering. From the pulsing veins on the back of the hands to the flexing of muscles, there's no detail left un-sculpted in this artwork.
Michelangelo's other sculpture, "La Pieta," displayed in the Vatican, also should be added to the works of art that qualify Michelangelo to be the greatest artist of all time. In this piece, he uses complex, unrealistic proportions and mathematical flaws to make the sculptures appear perfect to the eye. The details are impeccable—from the drapery in the clothing, to the details of skin and the saddened facial expressions. Michelangelo depicts the strength Mary has to have in order to carry her son in that way. He does that illusion by making her lap bigger and exaggerating the height as well as other features of Mary. The sculpture is suppose to make the viewer question the pain and suffering Mary is feeling but at the same time ponder on her kindness and gentleness towards her son.
While Michelangelo is a legend of his own, Leonardo has some great works. Leonardo's most famous work seems to be the infamous "Mona Lisa" and her smile. Leonardo uses his technique chiaroscurro to paint the background and details of this painting that conjures so many questions. Why are her hands so manly? Was she mad, sad, hiding something? Why is her smile so weird? We may hypothesize and come up with conclusions to these questions, but the truth is we will never know. It was clever of Leonardo to create something so distinct and unique that to this day people still admire it.
His "Last Supper" is also one for the history books. It was painted on the wall of Santa Maria Della Grazie monastery in Milan, Italy. It depicts Jesus and his twelve disciples sitting at a table, at the moment where Jesus announces that one of them will betray him. Jesus and his disciples are all shown on one side of the table facing the viewer, with Jesus seated in the middle and two groups of three disciples at each of his sides. The way the disciples are grouped shows perfect mathematical division. The tapestries on the walls, as well as the wood structure of the ceiling show linear perspective giving the painting great depth and dimension, with the vanishing point over Christ’s head. The shape of Christ’s body is in the geometric shape of a triangle, which depicts the holy trinity. Leonardo invented the technique of sfumato, which he used in "The Last Supper" to make the windows of the painting look distant, thus conveying depth.
Overall, these two artist have changed the world of art as we know it. Without them both art would not be what it is today. While both very different artists, they have both made it difficult for artist's today to live up to their expectations. So, I now leave it up to you dear readers, make your own decision. Is Leonardo or Michelangelo the greatest artist of all time? There is no right or wrong answer, only personal preferences.
