The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Novel of Michelangelo

Though he has little in the way of projects or commissions, Michelangelo returns to Florence. He puts his family’s affairs in order. His father is still in mourning, and his brothers are struggling to find any viable way to make money. Michelangelo is the lone supporter of the family, and he feels responsible for ensuring that they remain respectable. He is happy to return to Florence, where the stone buildings seem to reflect his love for stone (unlike Rome). He pays visits to the Topolino family and to Contessina, who now lives in exile with her husband and children due to their support for Piero and his attempts to take back Florence. The city is once again a republic, governed by Piero Soderini at the head of the Signoria (the City Council). Soderini was personally trained by Lorenzo and is considered “the brightest of the young men in politics” (362). Michelangelo respects Soderini’s diplomatic abilities; he trusts him, as do the many other artists who are returning to the city.

In Rome, Galli continues to search for commissions for Michelangelo, though Michelangelo is only interested in the Duccio competition. Leonardo da Vinci, a local artist with a reputation as “the greatest draftsman in Italy” (364), seems to be one of the frontrunners for the competition.