Extrait du livre MICHELANGELO
In the town of Caprese in Italy, during the spring of 1475, Francesca Buonarroti gave birth to her second son. “We’ll call him Michelangelo,” announced the boy’s father proudly. Soon afterwards, Lodovico Buonarotti’s job as Mayor of Caprese came to an end, and the family packed up their belongings to return home. The baby Michelangelo traveled with his parents to the family home in Florence, and from there to Settignano, a village outside the town where he lived with his nurse. The countryside all around Settignano was very rich in stone. Quarries were everywhere, mined by stonecutters and sculptors. Little Michelangelo grew up surrounded by chisels and hammers, as his nurse’s father and husband were both stonemasons. “You will soon know all about stone-carving, Michelangelo,” joked his nurse.
As Michelangelo played amongst the stones and quarries of Settignano, his family grew. Three more sons were born to Francesca and Lodovico. But sadly, when Michelangelo was six-years-old, his mother died. Four years later, Lodovico married again. Michelangelo returned to Florence to join the family. He shared a gloomy house with his father, his stepmother,four brothers, and an uncle. Michelangelo’s father didn’t earn much money. Some of his sons had to help out, and were sent to work for silk and wool merchants. Michelangelo, though, went to school. When his father realized that Michelangelo spent his time at school drawing instead of studying, he became very angry. “You are wasting time on art. You will never make any money for yourself or for the family.”
Michelangelo had been given the chance to become a scholar but all he wanted to do was draw! He became friendly with a local boy called Francesco Granacci. Francesco had been sent as a boy to learn the art of painting from Domenico Ghirlandaio, a famous local artist. “You have great talent,” said Francesco when he saw Michelangelo’s work. “I shall help you with your studies.” Michelangelo was delighted. Every day Francesco would bring one of Domenico's drawings for Michelangelo to study and copy. Michelangelo became better and better until his father realized that there was no hope of forcing his son to give up drawing. “I give in. You shall put these talents to good use and learn art properly,” sighed his father. Michelangelo couldn’t wait to tell Francesco that he would soon be joining him.
