On February 18, 1564, Miguel Ángel Buonarroti died in Rome at age 88. His passing marked the end of an era in Renaissance art history. The brilliant mind that created the Sistine Chapel ceiling and carved the David spent his final hours in his modest home on Via Macel de’ Corvi, surrounded by unfinished work and few possessions.

Michelangelo’s Death in Rome: The End of a Renaissance Master

The winter morning of February 18 began like many others for the aging artist. Despite his declining health, Michelangelo had been working intermittently on his final sculpture, the Rondanini Pietà. This last artwork stood unfinished in his studio – a mother cradling her son, stripped to its essential emotional core.

Antonio, his faithful assistant who witnessed Michelangelo’s death, later described how the master’s breathing had grown increasingly labored. Historical records suggest Michelangelo suffered from kidney stones and possibly a slow-developing fever in his final days – common ailments that affected many elderly Romans during the 16th century.

The house where Michelangelo died perfectly reflected his ascetic character. Though he had amassed considerable wealth, he lived like a monk in simple quarters. Rough plaster walls, minimal furniture, and the scattered evidence of artistic genius filled the rooms. A table cluttered with sketches, including an unfinished drawing of Christ, revealed the active mind that worked until the end.

Inside Michelangelo’s Room at Death: His Final Possessions

Michelangelo kept remarkably few possessions in his final years: a crucifix above his bed, a wooden chair worn smooth from use, and his well-read Bible. Among his treasured items was a yellowed letter from Vittoria Colonna, the noblewoman whose intellectual friendship had deeply influenced his spiritual artwork.

As afternoon approached, Antonio attempted to rekindle the fire, but Michelangelo waved him away with what would become his final recorded words: “Let it be. The cold is honest.” This deathbed statement perfectly captured his lifelong pursuit of truth over comfort – a principle evident in both his art and personal choices.

Through his window, Counter-Reformation Rome continued its daily rhythms, unaware that one of its greatest artistic sons was slipping away. The city that had been his home for much of his career would soon learn of his passing, but at that moment, all was quiet except for the ticking of a small clock in the hallway.

How Did Michelangelo Die? A Peaceful Passing in His Roman Home

Medical historians believe Michelangelo’s cause of death was likely a combination of factors related to his advanced age. Around mid-afternoon, Antonio observed the final moments – one breath, then none. No dramatic last words, no gathered crowds of admirers. The man who had transformed Western art died with the same quiet dignity that had characterized his life.

Antonio remained at his bedside, holding the master’s hand. The room felt suspended between emptiness and fullness – empty of life but filled with the tangible legacy of artistic genius. Outside, the bells of Rome rang the hour, unaware they were marking the exact time of Michelangelo’s death.

Michelangelo’s Dying Wish: Return to Florence

What happened next reveals the true wishes of the artist and the devotion of his family. Weeks before his death, Michelangelo had confided to both Antonio and his nephew Lionardo: “Bring me home. Not to Rome. To Florence.” These final wishes set in motion a secret plan that would involve his closest family.

Historical documents confirm that Lionardo immediately dispatched a message to Michelangelo’s cousin, Ludovico Buonarroti, who resided in Florence. Ludovico, who had managed many of the family’s affairs over the years, quickly organized the operation to return Michelangelo’s body to his birthplace.

Pope Pius IV and the Vatican authorities would have preferred to keep Michelangelo’s remains in Rome. As the chief architect of St. Peter’s Basilica and a treasured papal artist for decades, Rome considered him their own. But Ludovico was determined to honor his cousin’s final wishes, regardless of political consequences.

The Long Road Home: Michelangelo’s Final Journey Through Italy

Within two days of receiving word of Michelangelo’s death, Ludovico arrived in Rome with a small contingent of trusted Florentines. Working with Antonio and Daniele da Volterra (one of Michelangelo’s artist friends), they devised an ingenious plan to smuggle the body out of the city.

Court records later revealed their strategy: they dressed Michelangelo’s body simply and placed it inside a shipping crate marked as “art supplies” bound for Florence. The death certificate was temporarily concealed, and paperwork was prepared suggesting these were merely effects from the artist’s studio being returned to his estate.

On February 21, before Roman authorities could organize an official funeral, Ludovico and his small party slipped through Rome’s Porta del Popolo with their precious cargo. They traveled by night when possible, taking the northern route through Viterbo, Siena, and finally into Tuscany.

Contemporary accounts from Vasari suggest the journey was not without challenges. Winter rains had made portions of the road nearly impassable. At one inn near Lake Trasimeno, Ludovico reportedly stayed awake all night guarding the crate, worried that word of their mission might have leaked.

Antonio never left the master’s side during this journey, sometimes speaking softly to the crate: “We’re nearly there, maestro. Just beyond the olive groves now. Your Florence awaits.”

Florence Mourns Michelangelo: The Artist’s Return to His Birthplace

On the morning of February 25, the small procession approached Florence. The early light revealed the city’s familiar silhouette – the towering dome of the cathedral that Michelangelo had admired since childhood, and that had influenced his design for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

They entered through the southern gate without fanfare. However, Giorgio Vasari – the artist and historian who would later write Michelangelo’s biography – had been secretly informed of their arrival. Historical documents show that Vasari quietly spread word to select members of the Florentine artistic community.

As the crate was transported to the Basilica of Santa Croce, a remarkable thing happened. Though no public announcement had been made, Florentines began emerging from their homes and shops. Candles appeared in windows. Streets fell silent as the procession passed. According to Vasari’s eyewitness account: “It seemed the very stones of Florence recognized their master had come home.”

Michelangelo’s Tomb at Santa Croce Among Legends

The funeral held at Santa Croce on March 14, 1564, was initially modest, respecting the artist’s preference for simplicity. However, historical records indicate that Ludovico and the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno (founded by Michelangelo himself) later organized a more elaborate memorial service in July, complete with an exhibition of his drawings and models.

Michelangelo’s burial location in Santa Croce Basilica placed him near the empty tomb of Dante and the resting place of Machiavelli – fitting company for a man who had revolutionized both art and architecture. The city that had first nurtured his talent, later exiled him during political upheavals, and finally reclaimed him in death, erected a magnificent tomb designed by Vasari to honor its greatest artistic son.

Michelangelo’s death and the End of the Renaissance

The impact of Michelangelo’s death on the Renaissance world was profound. Artists throughout Italy wore black in mourning. The Medici court suspended celebrations. Pope Pius IV, despite the secretive removal of the body from Rome, ordered a memorial mass. Historians record that when news reached France, King Charles IX remarked: “There can never be another.”

Michelangelo’s death at 88 marked the end of the High Renaissance period. His contemporaries, including Titian and Cellini, recognized that art had lost its greatest practitioner. The materials found in his Roman studio – sketches, models, and the unfinished Pietà – revealed a mind still actively creating until his final days.

So ended the extraordinary life journey of history’s greatest Renaissance artist – not with pomp and ceremony, but with a quiet, determined return to the city that had shaped his soul. Thanks to Ludovico’s devotion and Antonio’s careful planning, Michelangelo’s final wish was granted. His legacy lives on not just in marble and paint, but in the story of his homecoming – a testament to the enduring connection between an artist and the place that first recognized his genius.

Today, visitors to Santa Croce can pay homage at his elaborate tomb, but those who understand the true story know that what mattered most to Michelangelo wasn’t grandeur. In death, as in art, he valued authenticity above all – and his final journey home reveals the man behind the masterpieces.