Our artistic traditions are full of wisdom. We can look to the past and, with curious minds and open hearts, absorb the lessons of our cultural history. The Italian Renaissance is filled with great stories that resulted in great art, and the story and art of Michelangelo are an enduring example. The story begins in 16th-century Rome, which was quickly becoming the cultural center of the Western world. At 33 years of age, Michelangelo was summoned by Pope Julius II to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was not a painter—he was a sculptor—and when asked to paint the ceiling, he replied, “Painting is not my art.”…