Michelangelo was *most likely* gay for some 23 year old boipucci he met when he was at the ripe old age of 57. Remember, they met in 1532, which makes Michelangelo about 100 in 2019 years.
TL;DR
"It is impossible to know for certain whether Michelangelo had physical relationships (
Condivi ascribed to him a "monk-like chastity"),
[65] but the nature of his sexuality is made apparent in his poetry.
[66] He wrote over three hundred sonnets and
madrigals. The longest sequence displaying a great romantic friendship, was written to
Tommaso dei Cavalieri (c. 1509–1587), who was 23 years old when Michelangelo met him in 1532, at the age of 57. These make up the first large sequence of poems in any modern tongue addressed by one man to another; they predate by fifty years
Shakespeare's
sonnets to the fair youth:
I feel as lit by fire a cold countenance
That burns me from afar and keeps itself ice-chill;
A strength I feel two shapely arms to fill
Which without motion moves every balance.
— (Michael Sullivan, translation) |
Cavalieri replied: "I swear to return your love. Never have I loved a man more than I love you, never have I wished for a friendship more than I wish for yours." Cavalieri remained devoted to Michelangelo until his death."
He was a great artist, and deserves every ounce of credit he receives in the modern age as he does. Look into his sculpting if you haven't. He truly was the greatest of all time.