Few names in art history carry the same weight as Michelangelo Buonarroti. Born in 1475, he was a titan of the Italian Renaissance, a master sculptor, painter, architect, and poet. But like all mortals, even the greatest had to face the end. So, when did Michelangelo die? And what happened in those final days of one of the most celebrated artists in human history?
In this blog, we’ll explore:
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The exact date and cause of Michelangelo’s death
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Fascinating facts about his final years
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His artistic legacy
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His unexpected and intriguing Irish connections
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The echoes of his genius in Irish art and artists, both past and present
Let’s step into history.
📅 When Did Michelangelo Die and Why?
Michelangelo died on February 18, 1564, in Rome, at the remarkable age of 88 years old—a rare lifespan for the time. He passed away after a short illness, likely related to age-related complications.
🧠 How old was Michelangelo when he died?
He was 88, born on March 6, 1475, in Caprese, a village near Arezzo in Tuscany. At the time of his death, he had lived through the reigns of nine popes and was still actively working on architectural plans for St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
💬 What did Michelangelo say when he died?
While we can’t confirm a specific final quote, legend has it that Michelangelo’s last words included a prayer and a mention of his desire to see Christ. He was deeply religious in later life, and much of his final poetry reflects this spiritual intensity.
💰 How Much Money Did Michelangelo Have When He Died?
Michelangelo wasn’t just talented—he was wealthy. According to records, his estate was worth more than 50,000 florins, a fortune at the time. He managed his commissions carefully and owned multiple properties.
🦴 What Disease Did Michelangelo Have?
Modern scholars believe Michelangelo may have suffered from gout in his later years, which caused him pain and limited his mobility. His letters refer to chronic illness, and there’s some speculation he may also have suffered from lead poisoning due to long exposure to pigments and sculpting materials.
💔 Did Michelangelo Ever Marry?
No, Michelangelo never married. He was famously solitary and focused intensely on his work. He had close, complex relationships with both men and women—including the noblewoman Vittoria Colonna, a platonic muse and intellectual equal—but he never took a wife or had children.
🏛 What Did Michelangelo Do?
Michelangelo is most famous for:
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Sculpting David and Pietà
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Painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling
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Designing the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica
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Creating architectural and poetic works that pushed the boundaries of human expression
He was a true Renaissance man, influencing every art form he touched.
🔥 Why Did Michelangelo Destroy So Many Drawings Before He Died?
Before his death, Michelangelo burned many of his sketches and drawings. Why? It’s believed he did so to maintain the illusion of perfection. He didn’t want the world to see the struggles and revisions behind his masterpieces. In essence, he sought to preserve his legacy as a divine genius, untouched by doubt or error.
🏛 What Problem Did Michelangelo Face in Rome?
Working in Rome meant dealing with papal politics and enormous pressure. His greatest challenge came from Pope Julius II, who commissioned the Sistine Chapel ceiling—a project Michelangelo initially resisted. Later, during his time working on St. Peter’s Basilica, he faced interference from architects, financial disputes, and shifting leadership in the Church.
🧠 How Did Da Vinci and Raphael Die?
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Leonardo da Vinci died in 1519 in France, at age 67, likely of a stroke.
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Raphael died in 1520 at age 37, reportedly of a sudden fever, though rumors swirled about excessive romantic activity being the cause.
🇮🇪 The Irish Connection: Michelangelo’s Influence Across the Sea
So where does Ireland fit into the story of Michelangelo?
While he never visited the Emerald Isle, Michelangelo’s legacy stretched far and wide—eventually influencing generations of Irish artists, architects, and thinkers. Let’s explore those connections.
🎨 Irish Artists Inspired by Michelangelo
1. James Barry (1741–1806)
An 18th-century Cork-born painter who studied in Italy, Barry was profoundly influenced by Renaissance art and openly admired Michelangelo. His grand, muscular figures reflect the same drama and spiritual intensity that defined Michelangelo’s work.
Barry’s masterpiece, “The Progress of Human Culture” in the Royal Society of Arts in London, echoes the epic narratives found on the Sistine ceiling.
2. Daniel Maclise (1806–1870)
A major Irish history painter, Maclise was known for his massive wall paintings, including “The Meeting of Wellington and Blücher” in the Palace of Westminster. Like Michelangelo, Maclise was a draughtsman of enormous skill and placed huge value on the human form.
3. Harry Clarke (1889–1931)
Though more gothic and stylised, Clarke’s work—especially in stained glass—owes a debt to the grandeur and drama of the Renaissance. His windows across Irish churches, particularly in Galway and Dublin, carry a spiritual awe that might be compared to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.
📚 Irish Thinkers and the Renaissance Spirit
Michelangelo’s era was one of intense intellectual and artistic curiosity, not unlike the Irish Literary Revival centuries later. Writers like W.B. Yeats and George Bernard Shaw spoke of the Renaissance with reverence. Shaw even referred to Michelangelo in his essays on art, praising the merging of genius with philosophical depth.
🏛 Ireland and the Vatican: A Shared Legacy
Michelangelo worked for the Popes and shaped the very look of the Vatican. Ireland, as one of the most Catholic nations in Europe for much of its modern history, has long-standing cultural and spiritual ties to Rome.
Generations of Irish clergy, pilgrims, and scholars have walked beneath the dome of St. Peter’s—a dome designed by Michelangelo himself. It’s an architectural link that silently but powerfully connects Irish identity with Renaissance Rome.
🧠 Michelangelo Interesting Facts
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He carved the Pietà at just 24 years old
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He painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling lying on scaffolding, often in pain
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He considered himself more a sculptor than painter
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He wrote hundreds of poems, many exploring spiritual torment and the nature of beauty
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He signed only one sculpture—Pietà—out of fear another artist would take credit
🏡 Where Did Michelangelo Live?
Michelangelo spent most of his life in Florence and Rome. His early training was in Florence, where he absorbed the legacy of Giotto, Donatello, and Brunelleschi. Later, in Rome, he worked under multiple Popes, shaping much of the city’s Renaissance architecture.
☘️ Could There Have Been an “Irish Michelangelo”?
While Ireland never produced a Renaissance artist of Michelangelo’s scale (largely due to the island’s colonised and religiously constrained status at the time), the country has always punched above its weight in artistic spirit.
If circumstances had allowed, one might imagine a genius like Aubrey O’Connell or Eoghan Ó Ceallaigh—names lost to time—rising to similar greatness. But Irish culture, from stone crosses to modern murals, has long held that same reverence for the divine in the human form that Michelangelo explored so powerfully.
✨ Michelangelo’s Legacy Today
So, when was Michelangelo born and died?
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Born: March 6, 1475
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Died: February 18, 1564
But more importantly, Michelangelo never really died. His legacy lives on—in the marble of his sculptures, the frescoes of his chapels, and the minds of every artist who dares to merge craft with spiritual depth.
In Ireland, that legacy breathes in the halls of the Hugh Lane Gallery, in the intricate detail of Celtic Revival art, and in the work of every Irish artist who believes that art can touch eternity.
🧩 FAQs
Q: Who is the greatest sculptor of all time?
A: Many believe Michelangelo holds this title. His works—especially David and Pietà—are unrivalled in anatomical precision and emotional power.
Q: What was the main problem Michelangelo faced in Rome?
A: Constant papal demands, political instability, and artistic interference.
Q: Why did Michelangelo burn his drawings?
A: To preserve his legacy and hide his artistic process, which he viewed as private.
Final Thoughts
Michelangelo died in 1564—but his influence remains eternal. And while Ireland may seem a world away from Renaissance Florence or Rome, the spirit of his work—rebellious, devout, passionate—has found its way into Irish hearts, churches, and canvases.
He was never here in the flesh, but in soul, Michelangelo and Ireland are closer than you might think.
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