<p>Before reaching the tender age of 30, <strong>Michelangelo Buonarroti </strong>(1475¿1564) had already sculpted <em>Piet¿em> and <em>David</em>, two of the most famous sculptures in the entire history of art. As a sculptor, painter, draftsman, and architect, the achievements of this Italian master are unique¿<strong>no artist before or after him has ever produced such a vast, multifaceted, and wide-ranging ¿uvre</strong>.<br/><br/> This fresh TASCHEN edition traces Michelangelo¿s <strong>ascent to the cultural elite of the Renaissance. </strong>Ten richly illustrated chapters cover the artist¿s paintings, sculptures, and architecture, including a<strong> close analysis of the artist¿s tour de force frescoes in the Sistine Chapel</strong>. Full-page reproductions and enlarged details allow readers to appreciate the finest details in the artist¿s repertoire, while the book¿s <strong>biographical essay</strong> considers Michelangelo¿s more personal traits and circumstances, such as