Fine Art Poster
From £28
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
The Dream of Human Life - Michelangelo Buonarroti
Regular price
£28.00 GBP
Sale price
£28.00 GBP
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A masterful Renaissance presentation drawing by Michelangelo, depicting an allegorical scene of human existence, temptation, and awakening.
This work, known as The Dream of Human Life, is a highly finished presentation drawing by Michelangelo. Created during his time in Rome, it demonstrates his mastery of the human form and his interest in complex allegorical themes. The central figure, a young man, leans against a globe, representing the world. Above him, a winged figure descends, blowing a trumpet into his ear, which suggests the awakening of the soul or the intrusion of divine influence upon mortal existence.
Surrounding the central pair are various smaller figures engaged in diverse activities. These vignettes represent the vices and distractions of human life, such as greed, lust, and gluttony. Beneath the central figure, a box contains a collection of masks, which serve as symbols of deception and the illusory nature of worldly appearances. The composition is carefully balanced, with the muscular, heroic anatomy characteristic of Michelangelo's style providing a sense of physical weight and presence.
Michelangelo produced these presentation drawings as gifts for his close associates, most notably Tommaso dei Cavalieri. Unlike his preparatory sketches for frescoes or sculptures, these works were intended as finished pieces of art in their own right. The use of black chalk allows for subtle gradations of tone, creating a soft, atmospheric quality that contrasts with the sharp, sculptural definition of the figures. The drawing invites close inspection of its many symbolic elements, reflecting the intellectual climate of the Italian Renaissance where classical philosophy and Christian morality often intersected. The work remains a primary example of the artist's ability to convey abstract concepts through the medium of the human body, rendered with anatomical precision and a sense of dramatic tension.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
The Dream of Human Life - Michelangelo Buonarroti
Regular price
From £28.00 GBP
Sale price
From £28.00 GBP
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Michelangelo
Michelangelo had his nose broken as a teenager by a fellow student called Pietro Torrigiano. They were both copying frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel when Torrigiano, tired of Michelangelo's taunting, punched him in the face. The nose stayed crooked for the rest of his life. Torrigiano was proud of it.
He was apprenticed to Domenico Ghirlandaio at thirteen, the standard arrangement for a Florentine boy showing artistic ability. Ghirlandaio ran the largest workshop in the city and was a master of fresco technique. Michelangelo left after one year, claiming there was nothing more to learn. He moved to the sculpture garden of Lorenzo de' Medici, where he studied ancient Roman fragments and attracted the patronage of the Medici family. He was sixteen.
The Pieta was finished when he was twenty-four. David when he was twenty-nine. Both before the age of thirty. He carved David from a block of marble that two previous sculptors had already attempted and abandoned: a narrow, shallow piece that dictated the figure's proportions and made the engineering problem as interesting as the artistic one.
Pope Julius II commissioned the Sistine Chapel ceiling in 1508. Michelangelo did not want the job. He considered himself a sculptor, not a painter, and suspected the commission was a political manoeuvre by rivals to set him up for public failure. He fired his assistants, built his own scaffolding, and painted the entire 65-foot ceiling himself over four years. The image of him lying on his back is a myth; he stood, bending backwards, paint dripping into his eyes.
He outlived both Leonardo and Raphael by more than forty years. His last significant work was the redesign of St Peter's Basilica in Rome. He took no fee.
He was apprenticed to Domenico Ghirlandaio at thirteen, the standard arrangement for a Florentine boy showing artistic ability. Ghirlandaio ran the largest workshop in the city and was a master of fresco technique. Michelangelo left after one year, claiming there was nothing more to learn. He moved to the sculpture garden of Lorenzo de' Medici, where he studied ancient Roman fragments and attracted the patronage of the Medici family. He was sixteen.
The Pieta was finished when he was twenty-four. David when he was twenty-nine. Both before the age of thirty. He carved David from a block of marble that two previous sculptors had already attempted and abandoned: a narrow, shallow piece that dictated the figure's proportions and made the engineering problem as interesting as the artistic one.
Pope Julius II commissioned the Sistine Chapel ceiling in 1508. Michelangelo did not want the job. He considered himself a sculptor, not a painter, and suspected the commission was a political manoeuvre by rivals to set him up for public failure. He fired his assistants, built his own scaffolding, and painted the entire 65-foot ceiling himself over four years. The image of him lying on his back is a myth; he stood, bending backwards, paint dripping into his eyes.
He outlived both Leonardo and Raphael by more than forty years. His last significant work was the redesign of St Peter's Basilica in Rome. He took no fee.
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Fine Art Framed
From £45
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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