Happy 542nd birthday to the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti! To celebrate, I thought it might be fun to play a little "Michelangelo Trivia", shall we?

1. Was Michelangelo a/an:

a. architect

b. painter

c. poet

d. sculptor

e. all of the above.

Answer: All of the above. I think he may have been the poster-boy for the term "Renaissance Man".

2. It is believed that Michelangelo signed only one piece of his work. Which famous work did he sign?

a. David

b. Pietà

c. "The Last Judgment" on the Sistine Chapel Ceiling

d. "The Creation of Adam" on the Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Answer: The Pietà (which is housed in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy) is believed to be the only work signed by Michelangelo. In case you are curious, Michelangelo carved his name on the sash running across Mary's chest. (Incidentally, he was in his early 20's when he carved this beautiful sculpture.) On a personal note, this is my favorite sculpture...EVER.

3. Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel lying down.

a. True

b. False

Answer: False. The artists (and his assistants) used a unique system of wooden scaffolds that attached to the walls. The scaffold system was designed by Michelangelo and enabled them to stand while painting.

4. Where might one see the original sculpture of David when traveling to Florence, Italy?

a. Uffizi Gallery

b. Piazza della Signoria

c. Galleria dell'Accademia

d. Piazzale Michelangelo

Answer: The original sculpture is housed in the Galleria dell'Accademia. A replica of the sculpture is in the original outdoor location at Piazza della Signoria. And, as a bonus, a bronze replica is at Piazzale Michelangelo.

I hope you enjoyed this little trivia, and maybe even learned a little factoid. Most of all, I hope this piqued your curious enough to look at, and appreciate, some of Michelangelo's work today.

Thanks for playing!