Michelangelo in Cleveland
As anyone who has taken an art or humanities class knows, Michaelangelo was one of the most important figures of the Renaissance, and one of the greatest creative minds of all time. Now, there is a chance to see his works outside of the projector screen in a classroom.
The upcoming exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art titled Michelangelo: Mind of the Master is a rare opportunity to see original sketches for masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel. According to Cyra Levenson, the Director of Education and Academic Affairs, “Michelangelo is one of the artists who changed the way we think about drawing. Very few of his sketches survived as he routinely destroyed them so others wouldn’t steal his discoveries.”
As Cyra Levenson shares, rare “Exhibits like this are often partnerships between museums: in this case the CMA and the Teyelers collection in the Netherlands. We share objects and projects so audiences around the world can see original works of art and enjoy them.”
The exhibit showcases both the front and backs of the drawings because Michaelangelo wrote and drew on both sides. If you don’t know much about the artist, fear not. There is plenty of background information on the walls of the exhibits surrounding the drawings. Ms. Levenson advises you to “look closely at the drawings, look at the details, bring a sketchbook and try drawing from one of them” if you can.
Just because these drawings are hundreds of years old doesn’t mean they don’t still hold meaning today. Ms. Levenson explains that “works of art help us see through someone else's eyes and connect with people across time and place. Understanding how we all fit into a bigger picture and practicing borrowing someone else's perspective is key to civil society.”
The exhibit runs from September 22nd to January 5 at the Cleveland Museum of Art. For students, as well as those under 17, the price to view it is $5, while adult tickets are priced at $15 members $7. The area housing the exhibit is kept in low lighting as the drawings are sensitive to light, so please let your eyes adjust to the lighting levels.