Born in 1475 near Arezzo, Michelangelo trained as a sculptor, considered himself one his whole life even while painting the Sistine ceiling, and died in Rome in 1564 at 88 — still working.
Trained underDomenico Ghirlandaio, then the Medici sculpture garden
Self-identified asA sculptor, even while painting
Died1564, Rome, age 88
He resented being called a painter for most of his life.
A difficult, solitary genius
Contemporaries described Michelangelo as intensely private, quick-tempered and often at odds with his patrons — including Julius II, whom he reportedly fled Rome to avoid at least once before finishing the ceiling.
More than one art form
Alongside sculpture, painting and architecture, he wrote poetry throughout his life — over 300 poems survive, many exploring religious doubt and longing.
Working until the end
He was still serving as chief architect of St. Peter's when he died at 88, having outlived most of his patrons and rivals.
Did Michelangelo see himself primarily as a painter or a sculptor?
A sculptor, by his own account — he reportedly resented being pulled onto the Sistine ceiling project and considered his marble work, not his painting, to be his real vocation.
How old was Michelangelo when he painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling?
In his early thirties when he started in 1508, and about 37 when he finished four years later in 1512.
Did Michelangelo work at the Vatican for his entire career?
No — he moved between Florence and Rome multiple times over six decades, and his final Vatican years were spent mainly on architecture, including work on St. Peter's Basilica itself.
