Can anything new be said, in writing or on the screen, about Michelangelo Buonarroti? Unlike many other genius or valued artists, the sculptor, painter, architect, Renaissance man born in Tuscany in 1475 was recognized during his life as a genius, enjoyed celebrity and fame, at least two consistent biographies where written during his life, and countless books in the half a millennium that has elapsed since he lived his earthly life can be added. Part of his eternity is also the novel written by Irving Stone and the film that shows his struggle with art and the world around, a memorable film - "The Agony and the Ecstasy" with Charlton Heston in the lead role. I do not know if the documentary 'Michelangelo: Love and Death' gives a clear answer to this question. I do not know if it says something very new that experts and biographers will not have already written. The documentary directed by David Bickerstaff is in any case a beautiful and interesting presentation of his life and art, a pleasure for the eyes and for the mind.
Although not far from the format used in museums for documentaries about artists and their works, the film directed by Bickerstaff who has authored in the last few years several similar films about artists like Goya, Bosch, van Gogh, Canaletto has the advantage of the large screen format and of the long feature film duration. These allow him to visually reproduce the works of the sculptor and the exceptional painter who was Michelangelo as a whole and in detail, from angles that are unknown and sometimes inaccessible to museums or churches visitors. We have access to all the great museums, Vatican churches and libraries where the treasures created by the genius artist can be found today. In the 90 minutes of the film we follow an itinerary in time of the artist's life and a geographical route of the places where his most representative creations are located. The comments of some of the most renowned experts in art history, specialists in the recovery of old works of art, and contemporary artists complete the experience with a wealth of interesting information.
The film is part of a series called 'Exhibition on Screen' that can be watched by those lucky enough to find it, in cinemas as well. The local cinematheque seems to be starting to bring these films in the city where I live. I will follow them with great interest.
