The Life of Michelangelo- For Young People Trivia Answers:

1- Michelangelo Buonarroti was born in the Tuscan village of Caprese, Italy. Today it is known as Caprese Michelangelo. If you choose to visit the town, be sure to see the 13th-century church of St. John the Baptist, where Michelangelo was baptized; the ancient churches of San Cristoforo a Monna, San Paolo a Monna and Santi Ippolito and Cassiano; the abbey of San Martino a Tifi; the Michelangelo Museum and Library.

-Wikipedia

2- What “crumbled like a biscuit?”

Michelangelo’s nose crumbled like a biscuit when the young sculptor Pietro Torrigiano punched him. Michelangelo was known to be proud of his skills. In his youth he made his pride known to those around him. Torrigiano, another youth who studied under the patronage of Lorenzo de’ Medici, didn’t appreciate being put down by the vain young master. And Michelangelo was given a flattened nose as a reminder of the incident.

- Vasari, Giorgio -Lives of the Artists

3- Who was one of the earliest painters to bring realism to Italian painting?

Giotto di Bondone was one of the earliest painters to bring realism to Italian painting. He is known to have created figures with true human emotions, as well as solid three dimensional forms. He used light and shadow to portray form. Masaccio would later bring the single light source to Italian painting.

• Scrovegni Chapel -Padua, Italy

4- On which statue did Michelangelo carve his name?

Michelangelo carved his name on his first Pieta. Upon hearing a Milanese man wrongly attributing the statue to a Lombard, Michelangelo carved his name across the Virgin’s sash. He’d never do such a thing again.

5- Where was the statue of David originally supposed to be placed?

The statue of David was originally intended to be placed high up Santa Maria del Fiore. There were two reasons the statue was not placed there. One was due to its weight. At 12,000 pounds, it would have been too risky to try to place it high up. The other reason is that from high above the viewer, none of David’s refinements would have been visible. Below is a fiberglass replica of David at his originally-planned position.

Wikimedia Commons File:David sullo sperone del duomo di firenze 05.JPG, Author, Sailko

6- What animal was going to eat Michelangelo’s “Day,” and “Night” in the Medici Tombs?

A mouse, chewing on a piece of cheese, was initially going to represent time devouring everything.

7- How many sculptures did Michelangelo produce?

Michelangelo completed 31 sculptures. Some of the most famous are: Madonna of the Stairs, Battle of the Centaurs, Pietà, David, St. Matthew, Moses, six different slaves, Tomb of Giuliano de' Medici, Night and Day, Tomb of Lorenzo de' Medici, Dawn and Dusk, and Rondanini Pietà.