Michelangelo is born in Caprese Michelangelo.

Michelangelo is born in Caprese Michelangelo.

Michelangelo's mother dies.

Michelangelo attends school and is taught by humanist Francesco da Urbino.

Michelangelo's first years in Florence were marked by his apprenticeship to Ghirlandaio and the patronage of the Medici.

Two florins are paid to Michelangelo by Domenico Ghirlandaio under the terms of his apprenticeship.

Michelangelo leaves the studio of Ghirlandaio and enters the household of Lorenzo de' Medici to study sculpture under Bertoldo di Giovanni, a pupil of Donatello.

Pietro Torrigiano breaks the nose of Michelangelo in argument while drawing in the Carmine, smashing it so hard that it never heals. The incident is described in a passage from Cellini's autobiography.

Michelangelo studies from the frescoes of Masaccio at the Carmine with other students of the Medicean Academy.

Lionardo di Buonarrota, Michelangelo's older brother, becomes a devoted follower of Girolamo Savonarola and enters the Domenican Order, effectively leaving Michelangelo as eldest son of the family.

Michelangelo creates a wood sculpture called Crucifix .

Michelangelo working in Bologna.

There is a heavy fall of snow in Florence, and Pietro de' Medici sends for the young Michelangelo to model a colossal snow-man in the courtyard of his palace.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called Bacchus for a year.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called Pietà for a year.

The contract between Michelangelo and the Cardinal di San Dionisio for the Pieta.(1)

The complicated and unsatisfactory story of Michelangelo's work on the Tomb of Pope Julius II spans much of his professional life.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called David over the course of three years until 1504.

Source: Leonardo: A Study in Chronology and Style, p.12

The Marchioness of Mantua writes a letter to the Cardinal of Este, saying that she should very much like to place Michelangelo's statue of Cupid, together with an antique statue of Venus, in her own collection.

Michelangelo is commissioned to paint a mural, The Battle of Cascina, in the council hall of the Palazzo Vecchio.

Michelangelo becomes an enemy of a anatomist and painter and architect and sculptor and military engineer and scientist and inventor and writer called Leonardo da Vinci.

Michelangelo works on a bas-relief called Pitti Tondo for a year.

Michelangelo's colossal David is set up in front of the Palazzo della Signoria.

Michelangelo works on a tempera painting called Doni Tondo over the course of two years until 1506.

Michelangelo creates a cartoon (fresco) called The Battle of Cascina .

Leonardo's work on the cartoon of the Battle of Anghiari was suddenly interrupted in the last months of 1504, and he went to Piombino on a somewhat official mission as a military architect. (During his absence Michelangelo was to receive the commission for the Battle of Cascina.) His mission was preceded by a diplomatic action conducted by Machiavelli himself. It can be inferred, therefore, that it was Machiavelli who suggested Leonardo's name for the programme of fortification projects suggested by Jacopo IV Appiano, Lord of Piombino, an ally of the Florentines at the time of the Pisian war, 1503-4, when Leonardo had already been consulted on the project of diverting the Arno River for strategic reasons, and when Antonio da Sangallo the Elder was the chief military architect of the Florentine Republic. Leonardo's activity at Piombino, revealed by newly discovered evidence, included the study of the city walls, the citadel and the main gate.

Source: Leonardo: A Study in Chronology and Style, p. 95.

Michelangelo chances upon Leonardo da Vinci discussing Dante at Piazza della Signoria and berates him for his failure to cast The Horse.

Michelangelo is summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II, commissioned to create the tomb for the pope, and spends eight months in the quarries of Carrara selecting marble for the tomb.

The classical statue of Laocoön and His Sons is unearthed in Rome. On the recommendation of Giuliano da Sangallo and Michelangelo, Pope Julius II purchases it and places it on public display in the Vatican a month later.

Source: Michelangelo. A record of his life told in his own letters and papers, p.37-8

Source: Michelangelo. A record of his life told in his own letters and papers, p.39-40

Source: Michelangelo. A record of his life told in his own letters and papers, p.40-1

Source: Michelangelo. A record of his life told in his own letters and papers, p.44-5

Michelangelo is summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II and asked to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Michelangelo works on a fresco called The Sistine Chapel Ceiling over the course of four years until 1512.

Michelangelo returns to Florence.

Source: Michelangelo. A record of his life told in his own letters and papers, p.50-1

Piero Soderini wrote to the Marquis of Massa-Carrara, begging him to retain a large block of marble until Michelangelo could come in person and superintend its rough-hewing for a colossal statue to be placed on the Piazza in Florence.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called Moses over the course of two years until 1515.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called Dying Slave over the course of three years until 1516.

Michelangelo creates a sculpture called Rebellious Slave .

Buonarrotto Buonarotti, brother of Michelangelo, is created Count Palatine by Pope Leo X.

Michelangelo receives notice from Pope Leo X that he is wanted in Rome.

While Michelangelo is in Rome a reduced plan for The Tomb of Pope Julius II is adopted by him and the executors of the estate of Pope Julius II.

Michelangelo spends the large part of the year at Carrara, quarrying marble. He hires a house there from Francesco Pelliccia.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called Cristo della Minerva for a year.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture and tomb called Tomb of Lorenzo de' Medici over the course of fourteen years until 1534.

A ricordo or note from Michelangelo:

Michelangelo despatches Pietro Urbano to Rome with orders to complete the statue of Christ Triumphant there, and to arrange with the purchaser for placing it upon a pedestal.

Michelangelo again goes to Carrara -- on the business of quarrying marbles for the tombs of S. Lorenzo -- and stays for nine days.

The contractors for Michelangelo's marble blocks to be carved into the tombs of S. Lorenzo, all of which were excavated from the old Roman quarry of Polvaccio, came to Florence, and were paid on account.

Sebastiano del Piombo writes to Michelangelo about Pietro Urbano's mistreatment of his statue of Christ Triumphant:

Michelangelo stands godfather to the infant son of Niccolo Soderini, nephew of his old patron, the Gonfalonier.

The Genoese enter into negotiations for a colossal statue of Andrea Doria, which they desired to obtain from the hand of Michelangelo. Its execution must have been seriously contemplated, for the Senate of Genoa banked 300 ducats for the purpose.

Michelangelo is commissioned to design the Laurentian Library at San Lorenzo.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called Dusk over the course of ten years until 1534.

Pope Clement VII offers Michelangelo a pension in order to retain his services. It appears that Michelangelo only asked for fifteen ducats a month, and that his friend Pietro Gondi had proposed twenty-five ducats. Fattucci rebuked him in affectionate terms for his want of pluck, informing him that "Jacopo Salviati has given orders that Spina should be instructed to pay you a monthly provision of fifty ducats." Moreover, all the disbursements made for the work at S. Lorenzo were to be provided by the same agent in Florence, and to pass through Michelangelo's hands. A house was assigned him, free of rent, at S. Lorenzo, in order that he might be near his work. Henceforth he was in almost weekly correspondence with Giovanni Spina on affairs of business, sending in accounts and drawing money by means of his then trusted servant, Stefano, the miniaturist.

Michelangelo's friend Cardinal Leonardo Grosso writes to him from Rome, on Michelangelo's depression at the course of the suit against him by the heirs of Pope Julius II regarding the incompletion of the Pope's tomb:

The Sacristy of S. Lorenzo by Michelangelo may have been walled and roofed in before the end of the month.

Antonio Mini appears to take Stefano's place as Michelangelo's right-hand man of business.

Michelangelo becomes the teacher of an art historian and painter and man called Giorgio Vasari .

Two important letters from Michelangelo to Fattucci, written in October 1525 and April 1526, show that he had then abandoned the original scheme (for the Medici tombs), and adopted one which was all but carried into effect.

Pope Clement VII makes Fattucci write to Michelangelo that he wishes to erect a colossal statue on the piazza of S. Lorenzo, opposite the Stufa Palace. The giant is to surmount the roof of the Medicean Palace, with its face turned in that direction and its back to the house of Luigi della Stufa. Being so huge, it would have to be composed of separate pieces fitted together. Michelangelo speedily knocked this absurd plan on the head in a letter.

Michelangelo begins work on the library of S. Lorenzo.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called Night over the course of five years until 1531.

A note from Michelangelo shows the disturbed state of Florence at the time of the uprising against the Medici:

By a deliberation of the Signory, we are informed that the marble had been brought to Florence about three years earlier, and that Michelangelo now received instructions, couched in the highest terms of compliment, to proceed with a group of two figures until its accomplishment. If Vasari can be trusted, Michelangelo made numerous designs and models for the Cacus, but afterwards changed his mind, and thought that he would extract from the block a Samson triumphing over two prostrate Philistines. The evidence for this change of plan is not absolutely conclusive.

The War Office of Florence issues a patent recruiting Michelangelo's services as a military engineer, conferring on him full authority over the work of fortification.

Michelangelo had scarcely been chosen to control the general scheme of fortifying Florence, when the Signory began to consider the advisability of strengthening the citadels of Pisa and Livorno, and erecting lines along the Arno. Their commissary at Pisa wrote urging the necessity of Buonarroti's presence on the spot. In addition to other pressing needs, the Arno, when in flood, threatened the ancient fortress of the city. Accordingly we find that Michelangelo went to Pisa on the 5th of June, and that he stayed there over the 13th, returning to Florence perhaps upon the 17th of the month.

Furnished with letters to the Duke, and with special missives from the Signory and the Ten to their envoy, Galeotto Giugni, Michelangelo left Florence for Ferrara after the 28th of July, and reached it on the 2nd of August. He refused, as Giugni writes with some regret, to abandon his inn, but was personally conducted with great honour by the Duke all round the walls and fortresses of Ferrara. On what day he quitted that city, and whither he went immediately after his departure, is uncertain.

The Ten write to Galeotto Giugni, saying that Michelangelo's presence is urgently required at Florence, since the work of fortification is going on apace, "a multitude of men being employed, and no respect being paid to feast-days and holidays." It would also seem that toward the close of the month, Michelangelo is expected at Arezzo, in order to survey and make suggestions on the defences of the city.

Michelangelo flees Florence, abandoning his post as military engineer in charge of the city's fortifications. A letter from Michelangelo to his friend Battista della Palla on the 25th of September 1529 makes clear his reasons:

Galeotti Giugni wrote to the Florentine War Office from Ferrara, upon the subject of Michelangelo's return to Florence under safe conduct. He says that Michelangelo has beged him to intercede in his favour, and that he is willing to return and lay himself at the feet of their lordships.

In answer to Galeotto Giugni's intercession on Michelangelo's behalf for the artist to return to Florence, news is sent to Giugni that the Signory has signed a safe-conduct for Michelangelo.

Granacci pays Sebastiano di Francesco, a stone-cutter, to whom Michelangelo is much attached, money for his journey to Venice.

From the autumn of 1530 on to the end of 1533 Michelangelo worked at the Medicean monuments.

Michelangelo begins painting The Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel.

Michelangelo is granted the freedom of the city of Rome.

Hieronimo Staccoli wrote to the Duke of Camerino about a silver salt-cellar which Michelangelo had designed at his request.

Michelangelo creates a sculpture called Brutus .

Letter from the poet Pietro Aretino to Michelangelo:

Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgement is first revealed to the public on Christmas Day.

It is mentioned in a contract dated this day that Michelangelo assigns the architectural and ornamental portion of the tomb of Pope Julius II conjointly to Giovanni de' Marchesi and Francesco d' Amadore, called Urbino, providing that differences which may arise between them shall be referred to Donato Giannotti.

Michelangelo is appointed chief architect at Saint Peter's and the Farnese Palace.

Michelangelo gives the statues of the Rebellious Slave and the Dying Slave in the Louvre to Roberto Strozzi, for his generous hospitality in his Roman house during Michelangelo's periods of sickness in July 1544 and June 1546.

Michelangelo works on a cathedral called Saint Peters Basilica over the course of seventeen years until 1564.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called The Deposition over the course of six years until 1553.

Giorgio Vasari publishes his 'Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Architects', the first book of art history scholarship. It features a prominent chapter on Michelangelo, who is still alive at this point.

Michelangelo works on a sculpture called Rondanini Pietà over the course of twelve years until 1564.

Ascanio Condivi publishes his 'Life of Michelangelo'.

Michelangelo works on the Rondanini Pietà.

Michelangelo dies at home in Macel de'Corvi, Rome but is buried at the church of Santa Croce, Florence.

Michelangelo dies in Rome.

Michelangelo creates a book called Michelangelo. A record of his life told in his own letters and papers .