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Death of Michelangelo

Type Event Region Italy Time 1564

On 18 February 1564, Renaissance master Michelangelo Buonarroti died in Rome at the age of 88, having supervised the dome of St.…

Timeline

  1. 1564Rome · RomeMichelangelo died in Rome, having still been commissioned by the papacy to oversee construction of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. His long creative career encompassed David, The Last Judgment, and numerous architectural works, and he is regarded as one of the foremost representatives of High Renaissance art.
  2. 1564Florence · FlorenceAfter solemn memorial ceremonies in Rome, the body was transported back to Florence in accordance with Michelangelo's wishes and arrangements by the Medici family, and buried in Santa Croce, completing the final bond between this Tuscan-born master and his hometown.
  3. 1564–1566Vatican · VaticanAfter Michelangelo's death, the papacy handed the dome project of St. Peter's Basilica to other architects to continue, with his design serving as the basis for subsequent construction. Humanists and artists across Europe wrote encomiums of his achievements, consolidating his historical status as a model of the Renaissance.

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