When it comes to ancient civilizations... well it makes talking about artists somewhat difficult, of course there were artists back then, but their pieces aren't exactly around to be sold. I typically enjoy talking about more modern artists since these artists will frequently have paintings in many different price ranges from a couple hundred dollars to over half a million dollars, allowing for almost anyone to collect one of their pieces.
So how was I going to talk about old artists but make it feel contemporary.
Then I thought of a survey I had seen asking the question: Who are Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo?
Many responses said these were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
They would be right, but did you know these characters were named after Italian Renaissance artists? It is even said that the personalities and skills of these turtles may be a nod to the skills of the four artists they are named after.
Leonardo (Leo) is named after Leonardo Da Vinci (Da Vinci). Da Vinci is perhaps the most famous of Renaissance artists, most well-known for painting 'The Mona Lisa' and 'The Last Supper'. He was said to be the perfect Renaissance man having great skill as an artist, inventor, scientist, architect and engineer. He was born in April 1452 and died in May 1519 and is considered one of the greatest painters in the history of art. Unfortunately, many of his works have been lost to time and he has fewer than 25 major works attributed to him, which includes many unfinished works. Leo (the turtle) is depicted wearing a blue mask and is the leader of his brothers. He is also the oldest of the brothers. He is a master swordsmen and often relies on his intellect to solve problems. The artist was thought to be loyal and dependent and the turtle is depicted with these characteristics as well. Both are considered deep thinkers and wise and insightful. Interestingly, of the turtles, while Leo got along with Donatello and Michelangelo, he was constantly butting heads with Raphael. Da Vinci was rumored to not get along with Raphael in real life, too.
Donatello (Don) was named after the Italian sculptor Donatello. He mainly worked as a sculptor creating sculptures with a lot of realism which provided a great change from sculptures from the middle ages which were thought to be very unlifelike. He is most famous for two pieces 'Saint Mark' and 'David'. Donatello worked in many different mediums including stone, bronze, wood, and clay. It is unknown exactly when he was born, but it is believed he was born around 1386 and he died in December 1466. Don (the turtle) is depicted wearing a purple mask and is the younger brother of Leonardo and Raphael and older brother of Michelangelo. Don is the second-in-command and is often portrayed as the tallest of the turtles. Don's signature weapon is a Bo Staff. Like the artist, Don is very technologically minded and Donatello was renowned for his technical ingenuity. Both have their softer side and Don's ninja skills are the lowest of the turtle. Donatello was also said to have a softer side which was illustrated by Don's calm demeanor. Don is considered to be the turtle with the closest relationship to Leonardo.
Michelangelo (Mikey) is named after Michelangelo. Michelangelo was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. He was born 13 years after Da Vinci. Many of his works managed to survive and so Michelangelo is considered to be one of the best-documented artists of the 16th century. Because of the number of works that survived, he is often considered the most accomplished artist of his era. He is perhaps most well known for painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome with scenes from the Book of Genesis. He also became the architect of St. Peter's Basilica when the previous architect died. Michelangelo was born in March 1475 and died in February 1564. Mikey (the turtle) is free-spirited and the jokester of the team and he is the youngest brother. He is depicted wearing an orange mask and his weapon of choice is a single or dual nunchucks. It is said that Michelangelo was as outgoing as Mikey is portrayed to be. Mikey is widely considered to be the heart of the team and is said to be a perfect representation for how to enjoy life without taking it too seriously. Mikey loves pizza (perhaps a nod to Michelangelo's Italian heritage) and his name was originally misspelled as Michaelangelo by the creator of the series.
Raphael (Raph) is named after Raphael, an Italian painter and architect. Raphael along with Da Vinci and Michelangelo form the trinity of great masters of their time period. Despite dying early at age 37, he left behind a large body of artistic work. His most famous work is 'The School of Athens' which hangs in the Vatican. Michelangelo was considered to be his greatest rival. Raphael was born in March or April 1483 and died in April 1520. Raph (the turtle) is the second oldest of the four brothers and is depicted as wearing a red mask. His weapon of choice are twin sai, which are weapons made to stab and strike. He is known for being cynical, short-tempered, aggressive, and sarcastic, but he mellowed as the series went on. Raph is more caring and laid-back when around his youngest brother, Michelangelo. It is unknown if Raph's personality was inspired by Raphael considering how it changed over time and among the different versions of the shows and comics. Raphael was said to be the perfect balance of street smarts and courage, and Raph would have glimpses of both depending on the series. Raphael was also known for his bold use of color which could perhaps be illustrated through Raph's turbulent personality. Raph was the only turtle whose name did not end in an 'O' though Raphael's real name was Raffaello.
What do you think of the creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles naming their Turtles after these famous artist?
See you next month as we talk about more famous artists.