Michelangelo is one of the most celebrated artists in history. He is known for having created some of the finest masterpieces in the world including the painting on the Sistine Chapel and the statue of David. As talented people become historical figures over the centuries, a lot of their humanity can be lost in historical accounts that feature only their highlights. I generally believe in giving people the generous edit and focusing on their good aspects, but going too far in mythologizing an artist or anyone else can be unhelpful. To focus only on their brilliance and ignore their struggles and shortcomings can be frustrating and cut short the growth of future generations of artists under the shadow of larger than life ”old masters.” With that in mind, I share that while Michelangelo‘s art was absolutely beautiful, the artist himself was kind of gross.

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