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How does Michelangelo reconcile his personal vision with humanist values in the Laurentian Library and other projects?

User ElpieKay
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Final answer:

Michelangelo reconciled his personal vision with humanist values through works that celebrate classical beauty and human form while emphasizing a spiritual connection with God, reflecting a blend of humanism and personal devoutness.

Step-by-step explanation:

Michelangelo integrated his personal vision with humanist values by creating works that reflected both a profound appreciation for classical beauty and a deep religious faith. In the Laurentian Library, he demonstrates humanism through the harmonious proportions and elegance remnant of classical architecture, yet infused with an idiosyncratic style that signalled a departure towards Mannerism. His frescoes, like the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel, encapsulate a shift from the idealism of the High Renaissance to a more contemplative and devout approach, underlining his preoccupation with his own mortality and spirituality later in life.

Through his sculptures, especially the iconic David, he embodies the High Renaissance humanist belief that human beings are created in God's image, suggesting that physical perfection parallels divine perfection. Similarly, his poetry reveals a juxtaposition of mortal beauty and divine adoration, indicating that for Michelangelo, the path to understanding God was through the contemplation of human beauty and form. As a result, his work is a confluence of artistic brilliance and humanist ideology, always maintaining a balance between earthly magnificence and the spiritual quest for God.

User Mike Duncan
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