Dante's poetry and Michelangelo's art were defended in very similar terms. At least one of Dante's defenders compared him explicitly to Michelangelo. For Michelangelo, the body's beauty is the way into the soul. Nature and antiquity were touchstones for Michelangelo. Michelangelo's last sculpture, his Pieta, has long stood out as his most emotional and ethereal work. Michelangelo's roughly chiseled last sculpture shows a strong gravitational pull. Furthermore Michelangelo intended the work to be erected on his own tomb. Secrets, dissections, crime, commission, and absolute passion for his work all mark Michelangelo's work. 6 pgs. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
