Pieta is also the only work that Michelangelo has ever signed. This colossal piece was carved in marble. David was also sculpted in a classical style, displaying perfect proportions and masculinity. Michelangelo's sculpture of David was different from that of Donatello's earlier sculpture, in that it had a less muscular frame and appeared more youthful. The next sculpture Michelangelo worked on was the Tomb of Pope Julius II. In 1505 Michelangelo was called to Rome by the Pope Julius II to create a monumental tomb for him. The original dimensions were huge and would include almost 80 figures. After various complications, the tomb was reduced drastically in size. The tomb was supposed to have three levels. The bottom level would have sculpted figures to represent bond slaves and victory. The second level was to be statues of Moses and Saint Paul along with symbolic figures of active contemplative life-representative of the human striving for knowledge. The third level was assumed to have an effigy of Pope Julius II after he died. Unfortunately the tomb was never finished. It was now that Michelangelo was called by Pope Julius II, to paint the Sistine Chapel in fresco. We still do not know what the tomb would look like because it has gone through at least five revisions. Though Michelangelo did not like to begin a new work before finishing one, he did not always have that opportunity.
Michelangelo was called by Pope Julius II to finish work that had been done on the Sistine Chapel in the previous century under Sixtus IV. The Sistine Chapel ceiling consists of four large triangles at the corner, eight triangular spaces on the outside border, an intermediate series of figure and nine central panels. The triangles in the corner show heroic action of the Old Testament. The eight triangles depict biblical ancestors of Christ. The nine panels were made into three stories. Three of the panels were devoted to the Creation, three to the story of Adam and Eve, and three to the story of Noah and the great flood.