History of Florence

In October of 1503, Giuliano della Rovere was elected Pope, taking the name Julius II. Given the nickname “Il Papa Terribile,” his papacy was filled with activity ranging from warfare to architecture. Especially prevalent was Julius’ patronage for the arts. Wanting to leave behind a spectacular legacy, it was important to adorn as much as possible with glorious works from numerous artists. Naturally, Michelangelo Buonarroti was a marvel that would fit Julius’ standard. Having lived in the Medici household, studying at their school, while under the guidance of Lorenzo the Magnificent, Michelangelo was the man who everyone wanted and the Pope would thus use his powers to use him. Pope Julius II first commissioned Michelangelo to create a tomb for himself, wanted his final resting place to represent his tremendous power of a papacy. This would be Michelangelo’s first papal patron, quickly draining both energy and funds to devote his attention on the project. It was only after he finally found the marble that would be to his liking when the Pope cancelled the project. Still unknown today are the exact reasons to Julius’ decision, but Michelangelo was distraught. He returned home, both annoyed and angered by the Pope’s dismissal. Michelangelo was known to be difficult when is came to any patron, and the Pope was not an exception. A few years later, the Pope, thinking nothing wrong of it, called upon Michelangelo once again, but not to start work on the abandoned project of his papal tomb. Instead, Julius wanted Michelangelo to fresco the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo had every reason to be outraged. He was a sculptor, which the Pope very well knew and in response, turned down the summons. However, after repeated tries and several visits from both his and papal allies, Michelangelo reluctantly moved to Rome to being the project that would forever become his most famous work. And thus the preparation begin, to created a masterpiece, fit to the Pope’s standards, from a craft he had minimal skill in. Hiring numerous laborers that would all be temporary positions, Michelangelo finally started work on the ceiling in the fall of 1508, only to be removed when the end results were not to his liking. If anyone can be the toughest critic, it is oneself, which Michelangelo’s actions clearly showed. During the time of his work on the ceiling, Julius II was constantly bullying Michelangelo, whether is was the fact he wasn’t painting fast enough, he was demanding too much money, or not allowing anyone to see his progress. Michelangelo did in fact not allow anyone but the Pope to see his work, displaying his extremely jealous personality, especially with the up-and-coming Raphael working close by. The man that had first drew Michelangelo to Rome years earlier was his constant annoyance while working on the frescos, growing more resentful of the project during its process. Michelangelo’s dedication, commitment, and faith are what led him to complete the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in October 1512. With visits from family over the years and his daily letters home, he stayed on track and was able to defy the nag who had commissioned the project. Finally, he lost the regret of the project and had grown to realize accumulated abilities in both painting and architecture. Making Michelangelo both physically and mentally exhausted, the ceiling of the chapel was a marvel to all who saw it and the Pope could be nothing but pleased. In the end, Julius’ antagonistic actions would drive Michelangelo further into his abilities as an artistic genius, allowing for the world to bare witness to his creations for time to come.

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