Michelangelo first moved to Rome in 1496.
Michelangelo arrived in Rome on 25 June 1496, when he was 21 years old. The move followed an invitation from Cardinal Raffaele Riario, who had become impressed by the young artist after acquiring a sculpture that had been presented as an ancient Roman work.
Rome offered Michelangelo access to powerful patrons, ancient monuments, and the artistic prestige of the papal court. His first Roman commission was a large statue of Bacchus, begun for Cardinal Riario in July 1496. Although the cardinal rejected the finished sculpture, the work entered the collection of the banker Jacopo Galli, who became an important supporter.
Michelangelo’s first Roman stay quickly led to one of his greatest early triumphs. In 1498, Cardinal Jean de Bilhères commissioned the Pietà, completed in 1499 for St Peter’s Basilica. The sculpture established Michelangelo’s international reputation while he was still in his twenties.
The year 1496 is sometimes confused with 1534, when Michelangelo moved to Rome permanently after his long Florentine period. Thus, 1496 marks his first arrival, while 1534 marks the beginning of his final, largely permanent Roman residence.