He started his career as a forger

After hearing from his patron, Lorenzo de Medici, that the Roman sculpture known as Sleeping Cupid was valuable, a young struggling Michelangelo recreated it. He burred the sculpture with acidic earth to make it appear aged and ancient. He sold the sculpture for a substantial sum to Cardinal Raffaele Riario.

Michelangelo's career was established as a result of this devious behavior. The Cardinal soon learned about the swindle and recovered his money from Michelangelo. The sculpture's abilities so impressed the Cardinal that he hired him to work in Rome. Several years later, he was awarded a contract to carve the Pietà, the sculpture that established his reputation as an artist. In Rome, he would eventually produce the sculpture that would propel him to prominence, the Pietà (1498).