Famous Works
"Pieta" is one of Michelangelo's most famous works. It was created by request of a French cardinal who hoped to grace his tombstone. The sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary with Jesus' body in her arms- a pieta. The statue was made in 1498 and still remains in St. Peter's Basilica.
Pope Julius II asked Michaelangelo to make 40 statues of important figures from the bible for his tomb. The Pope got involved in military disputes and Michael Angelo left Rome, but he kept working on the project. Pope Julius II called Michelangelo back to Rome in 1508 to paint the 12 apostles on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He ended up painting around 300 figures in stories from the bible.
Another commission he did was "David" in 1501, made for the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. The sculpture is of David from the Old Testament and now resides in Florence at the Galleria dell'Accademia. The statue is a "symbol of the city and its artistic heritage".