The art of Michelangelo can be characterized as having a neo-platonic influence. This idea is that of the combination of classic Greek philosophy, such as Plato and Aristotle, with the Christian beliefs. Michelangelo takes religious events and subject matter, such as the dead Christ with the Virgin and the Creation of Adam, and presents it in a way that is suggestive of how truth and beauty of the spiritual world can be revealed via the physical world.

One example of this influence is seen in Michelangelo's marble sculpture of the Pietà. Here we see the Christian subject matter of the Virgin Mother and her Son but with classical influences. Michelangelo uses the Greek drapery to gently fold over the Virgin's body in an elegant manner. Also, the serene atmosphere and control of emotions are reminiscent of the Greek Hellenistic period. In this sculpture, Michelangelo expresses the beauty of...