Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 8.djvu/33

MICHAEL ANGELO 217 Angelo was called upon to cover this enormous vault, a space of one hundred and fifty feet in length by fifty in breadth, with a series of subjects representing the most important events connected, either literally or typically, with the fall and redemption of mankind. No part of Michael Angelo's long life is so interesting, so full of character- istic incident, as the history of his intercourse with Pope Julius II., which began in 1505, and ended only with the death of the pope in 15 13. Michael Angelo had at all times a lofty idea of his own dignity as an artist, and never would stoop either to flatter a patron or to conciliate a rival. Julius II., though now seventy-four, was as impatient of contradiction as fiery in tem- per, as full of magnificent and ambitious projects as if he had been in the prime of life ; in his service was the famous architect, Bramante, who beheld with jeal- ousy and alarm the increasing fame of Michael Angelo, and his influence with the pontiff, and set himself by indirect means to lessen both. He insinuated to Julius that it was ominous to erect his own mausoleum during his lifetime, and the pope gradually fell off in his attentions to Michael Angelo, and neglected to supply him with the necessary funds for carrying on the work. On one occasion, Michael Angelo, finding it difficult to obtain access to the pope, sent a message to him to this effect, "that henceforth, if his Holiness desired to see him, he should send to seek him elsewhere ; " and the same night, leaving orders with his servants to dispose of his property, he departed for Florence. The pope de- spatched five couriers after him with threats, persuasions, promises — but in vain. He wrote to the Gonfaloniere Soderini, then at the head of the government of Florence, commanding him, on pain of his extreme displeasure, to send Michael Angelo back to him ; but the inflexible artist absolutely refused ; three months were spent in vain negotiations. Soderini, at length, fearing the pope's anger, prevailed on Michael Angelo to return, and sent with him his relation, Cardinal Soderini, to make up the quarrel between the high contending powers. On his return to Rome, Michael Angelo wished to have resumed his work on the mausoleum ; but the pope had resolved on the completion of the Sistine Chapel ; he commanded Michael Angelo to undertake the decoration of fhe vaulted ceiling ; and the artist was obliged, though reluctantly, to obey. At this time the frescos which Raphael and his pupils were painting in the chambers of the Vatican had excited the admiration of all Rome. Michael Angelo, who had never exercised himself in the mechanical part of the art of fresco, invited from Florence several painters of eminence, to execute his designs under his own superintendence ; but they could not reach the grandeur of his conceptions, which became enfeebled under their hands, and one morning, in a mood of im- patience, he destroyed all that they had done, closed the doors of the chapel against them, and would not thenceforth admit them to his presence. He then shut himself up, and proceeded with incredible perseverance and energy to ac- complish his task alone ; he even prepared his colors with his own hands. He began with the end toward the door, and in the two compartments first painted (though not first in the series), the " Deluge," and the " Vineyard of Noah ; " he