Florence, 1478: The ruling Medici family has been attacked by rivals in the city’s cathedral. The patriarch Lorenzo is injured. His brother is murdered. Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty I, caption, BBC 2024
‘I knew that this world was not one of beauty and creation alone, but also of blood and betrayal.’ ibid. Michelangelo
Out of the turmoil, three men emerge who will change Western art for ever: Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael. ibid.
15th-century Florence is famous for banking, trade, and above all, the skill of its artists. ibid. narrator
In the Medici household, Michelangelo is schooled in radical new ideas. ibid.
Lorenzo identifies a Florentine artist down on his luck and looking for patronage. He is 23 years older than Michelangelo, and his name is Leonardo da Vinci. ibid.
Leonardo joins Sforza’s court in Milan and pleases his patron. ibid.
Michelangelo, 1492: Battle of the Centaurs. ibid.
Into the vacuum steps a religious zealot: Girolamo Savonarola. Ibid.
‘Thus I left Florence, and made my way for the first time in my life to Rome.’ ibid. Michelangelo
Michelangelo 1496-97: Bacchus. ibid. caption
Michelangelo is out of work once again. ibid. narrator
Leonardo da Vinci, 1495-98: The Last Supper. ibid. caption
Savonarola: The Bomfire of the Vanities. ibid.
Michelangelo, 1498-99: Pietà. ibid.
Florence, 1501: At 26 Michelangelo is the rising star of Renaissance Italy. For 5 years he has been establishing himself as a talented sculpture in Italy. Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty II
Also returning is the superstar artist of the day, Leonardo da Vinci. He’s been away in Milan building a dazzling reputation. ibid.
In these brutal times, rulers need money, military might, and masterpieces. ibid.
They torun on Savonarola, hang him, burn his body, and throw his remains in the river. ibid.
‘Nobody quite gets to the orbit of Leonardo da Vinci.’ ibid. biographer
Leonardo da Vinci, 1501-08: The Burlington House Cartoon. ibid.
‘And now I had the chance to prove him wrong with my David.’ iibid. Michelangelo
‘David totally changes the conception of sculpture.’ ibid. Gormley
With Michelangelo and Leonardo fixated on fighting each other, neither notices the new arrival of a disruptive threat to their reputations. 21-yearold Raphael Santi is a boy wonder. ibid.
Raphael, 1508: Combat of Nude Men. ibid.
Leonardo’s secret blend of oil and pigment fails to dry. The paint smears and his work is ruined. ibid.
As Florence declines, the fortunes of Rome are on the rise. ibid.
Everything now hangs in the balance for Michaelangelo. ibid.
‘Raphael wangled himself a small commission painting the walls of the Pope’s apartment.’ ibid. Michelangelo
Raphael, 1509-10: Disputation of the Holy Sacrament. ibid.
Florence, 1530: Over three decades Michelangelo has won fame and prestige creating masterpieces for Italy’s most powerful rulers. But these are brutal dangerous times and an age of almsost constant war. Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty III
‘Once you start to mix art and money, then it’s a lethal cocktail.’ ibid. comment
Rome, 1509: Michelangelo is working on the biggest commission of his life … While he struggles on, his greatest rivals thrive. ibid.
Raphael, 1509-11: The School of Athens. ibid.
‘Michelangelo is driven on by Raphael’s success. But the Sistine ceiling is a mammoth task.’ ibid.
Raphael, 1511: Pope Julius II. ibid.
Michelangelo, 1508-12: The Sistine Chapel Ceiling. ibid.
‘All I wanted to do was sculpt.’ ibid. Michelangelo
Leonardo da Vinci, 1503-19: Mona Lisa. ibid.
‘We all lost something when Leonardo died.’ ibid. Michelangelo
Leo chooses the reliable Raphael to make ten lavish tapestries. ibid.
Raphael, 1515: The Raphael Cartoons. ibid.
Raphael is enjoying all the rewards of being Leo’s golden boy. ibid.
‘Now they’re all dying: Leonardo 1519, Raphael 1520. So, yes, it does affect Michelangelo’s drive and motivation.’ ibid. comment