The New York herald., 1875-09-12

SKETCH OF MICHAEL ANGELO BUoNARRoTI.
Whether this greatest OF scuptors descended from
the "noble and lustrious family OF the Counts of
Canossa, )" is asserted by his early biographers
Condivi and Vasari, and repeated by bio
graphers until Giuseppe Campor threw doubt on the
assertion by the discovery of documents matters
nothing; the fact that, in his day and for three
centuries he has been known simply Michael Angelo
proves his name confer receive ad-
ditional lustre.
What know for certain is, that the Buonarroti
Buonarotti or Buonarotte- -smoni, as they ndis-
crimnately sign themselves held high Offices in the
State that Michael Angelos grandfather belonged to
the Sgnora or government of Florence and that his
Eather Lodovico di LEONARDO Buonarrot -Simoni
was, in 1474, appointed Podesta of two small
cities in the Valley of Lungarsia, Chiusi
and Caprese; and that his wife, Francesca
d. Neri di Miniato del sera, and Of Bonda Ruceai
despite a dangerous fall from her horse presented him
with hours after midnight the 9th of March,
l475 This second son of the young couple Francesca
but nineteen and Lodovico thrtyone at his BIRTH
was named Micheagnolo, and thus he always wrote his
name signing on special occasions "Mchelagnoo di
Lodovico di LEONARDO di Buonarrota di Smone" That
be clung TO the is proved by letter to his favor
tic nephew, Leonardo in his old age, when asked what
the latter should give his first :"Arei ben
III would please welll he wrote, "that this
name Buonarroto should not be missing in house,
it has already lasted three hundred years among
Again. on the 22d OF October, 1547 he writes to the
same nephew Leonardo, year since came upon
manuscript of Forentine chronicles, and about two
hundred years since mention is made of Buonarroto
simoni several times member Of the Sgnora; also of
Bimone Buonarroti, a Michele di Buonarroto Simon
and of francesca Buonarrot | found no mention Of
Lonardo Of the Signor, father of my father, be-
cause the chronicler did not down to his time.
But it seems to that you wo write your name
LEONARDO di Buonarroto Buonarroti SmonL
The wet to whom the infant Michael Angelo
connded was the daughter OF stone mason and
The wife of another hence he used say that he had
mbbed his love for chsel and maet with his foster
mothers milk. The family increased rapidly and Lo
dovco apprenticed several of his sons to the silk
wool trade but Michael Angelo of whom the astrolo
Eists ''seeing that Mercury and Venus were In
Junction with Jupiter at the hour of his birth,
FoREroLD EXTRAORDINARY GENIUS
and universal success to the grammar school
of Francesca d'Urbino IN Florence There he prohted
little, spending his time in drawing and in visiting the
studios of different painters with his friend,
Francesca Granacc, then pupil Of the brothers CHR
andajo TO whom, when he found resistance useless,
his father artcled him for three years, the under
standing that he learn drawing and painting,
forms. He fourteen years Of age His
ers engaged in repantng the choir of the Church
of Santa Maria Novela Orcagna's frescoes had been
spoiled by the coming through the roof One day,
when left alone in the church, the young pupil drew
the scallolding and the at work in way that
prsed his masters who set him at to help them
with the frcscoes Condor and other contemporaries
say that Dominica Ghirlandajo jealous OF his
pupil, and taught him as little as possible Be that
1t may, when Lorenzo di Medci asked Ghirlandajo to
send his best pupils to the academy OF scup-
and painting he selected the friends Granacc
and Michael Angelo. The latter. delighted with the
figures which Torrgano, another student modelled in
terra Gotta set TO work initiate him. and succeeded
well that Torrgiano grew jealous, picked quarrel
with him. and by violent blow from his fist broke the
bridge of Michael Angelos nose and thus dsgured the
hitherto handsome Lad for life Lorenzo who had
ceved great affection for Michael Angelo,
nngered that Torrgiano had to quit Florence Lorenzo
to insure the progress OF his proge requested Mchaes
ather TO allow him TO live entirely his palace That
independent citizen at FIRST demurred but at last Michael
Angelo installed in the Medici Palace as a sou
OF tho house. Even at public receptions he was
always seated at Lorenzo's right hand The lad studied
with Polizano, and, by the advice OF Berold learned
the art of casting in bronze devoted himself to
Donatis models He executed a Madonna in bronze
also the Batte Of Hercules with the contours in bas
relief in marble. With the latter he would part
and 1t s still preserved in the Buonaratte Palace In
painting he followed Masaccio and his favoritc disciple
Filppo Lppi In 1492 Lorenzo died, and though
Pero continued his patronage the mans nature
must have made its acceptance irksome. or an In
natey pious turn of mind he powerfully affected
by savonaroa's preachings and predictions. Picro's
cynical disregard Of all warnings troubled him. he
gradually abandoned the Court passing great deal Of
time
IN TIM MONASTERY sPIRITo
where the prior, for whom he had scuptured
quste crucinx In wood procured HIM corpses for his
anatomical studies. During his first experiments In
dissectng repugnance hs task great that
he tainted; but Of the necessity OF such
studies, he conquered his weakness and 10 the last
hour of his life anatomy was his favorite study He
now resolved journey TO Venice On his journey
be was arrested Bologna and refused 10 be liberated
unless his companions set free also He then de-
termned to with Aldovandi in Bologna, and
the latter procured him order complete the
phagus containing the bones OF St Domcnico, which
was commenced by Nicola Psano and continued by
Nicola Schavi whose death suspended the work.
Michael Angelo finished the figure already commenced
and also sculptured kneeling angel holding Candida
brum. But intimidation and 'rattcningp we're rife in
those days as in these Michael Angelo was
THREATENED WITH THE DIREsr VENGEANCE
II he accepted other commissions in Bologna Picro
del Medici had been expelled from Florence and
Savonarola was now its real ruler Returning to his
native city another Lorenzo del Medici brother of old
casinio, took him in hand. For him no executed ST.
JehA, and on his own account q cupid The cupid