Five amazing Michelangelo works of art

1. Michelangelo’s first major commission was a coffin. Jean Bilhéres de Lagraulas asked him to decorate his future final resting place with a 175 centimetre (69 inch) high carving of the Virgin Mary cradling Jesus.

2. His sculpture of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, is unique among his pieces for being fully 360 degrees. All others are works that are to be viewed solely from the front, but this can be enjoyed at all angles.

3. His statue of David took three years to carve. It stands 5.2 metres (17 feet) tall and can be seen at the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence.

4. His other most famous work is the roof of the Sistine Chapel. This masterpiece took four years to paint, the most famous of which is The Creation of Adam. The entire work covers 43 metres by 13 metres (141 feet by 43 feet).

5. He began carving a decoration for his own tomb but died before he was able to complete it.