(Michael). There were five celebrated Italian painters of this name, who flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; but the two most distinguished of them are these.—First, Michael Angelo Buonarroti, who was a most incomparable painter, sculptor, and architect, born in 1474, in the territory of Arezzo in Tuscany. He was the disciple of Dominico Ghirlandaio; and erected an academy of painting and sculpture in Florence, under the protection of Lorenzo di Medici; which, upon the troubles of that house, was obliged to remove to Bologna. About this time he made an image of Cupid, which he carried to Rome, broke off one of its arms, and buried the image in a place he knew would soon be dug up, keeping the arm by him. It was accordingly found, and sold to Cardinal St Gregory for an antique; until Michael, to their confusion and his own credit, discovered his artifice, and confirmed it by the deficient arm which he produced; it is rather unusual for the manufacturers of antiques to be so ingenious. His reputation was so great at Rome, that he was employed by Pope Sixtus to paint his chapel; and by the command of Pope Paul III. executed his most celebrated piece The last judgment. He has the character of being the greatest designer that ever lived; and it is universally allowed that no painter ever understood anatomy so well. He died immensely rich at Rome, in 1564.—Secondly, Michael Angelo de Caravaggio, born at that village in Milan, in 1569. He was at first no more than a bricklayer's labourer: but he was so charmed with seeing some painters at work, that he immediately applied himself to the art; and made such a progress in a few years, that he was admired as the author of a new style in painting. It was observed of Michael Angelo Buonarroti, that he was incomparable in designing, but knew little of colouring; and of Caravaggio, that he had as good a goût in colouring as he had a bad one in designing. There is one picture of his in the Dominican church at Antwerp, which Rubens used to call his master. It is said of this painter, that he was so strangely contentious, that the pencil was no sooner out of his hand but his sword was in it. He died in 1609.

(St.) a small but strong town of Italy, in the Capitanata. There are several other towns and castles of the same name in Italy, and particularly the castle of St Angelo at Rome. E. Long. 15° 56'. N. lat. 41° 43'.