Rivalry for the Ages

It’s the Italian Renaissance. And two of history’s greatest artists, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti, are gearing up to create works of art for an important cultural site. The atmosphere around the commission is tense and exciting—Leonardo and Michelangelo are bitter rivals. People can’t wait to hear what one artist will say about the other—and to see what masterpieces they will make.

Leonardo and Michelangelo met in the early 16th century. They were both commissioned to paint enormous murals depicting battle scenes on the walls of Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio, a government building that housed events and art and is still a popular tourist destination today. The commissions were meant to be an entertaining competition between the two masters. Leonardo was already an established artist in his 50s—he was in the process of painting the Mona Lisa. Michelangelo was only 29 years old and in awe of the older artist’s work. Leonardo recognized Michelangelo’s talent and understood that the skilled artist was his competition. 

They were both known for leaving works unfinished. The commission for the Palazzo Vecchio was no exception—Leonardo made more progress than Michelangelo, but the experimental painting technique Leonardo used resulted in the painting disintegrating quickly. It was painted over in 1565. Michelangelo never made it past the sketching stage, but even though the work never made it onto the wall, everyone agreed the sketch was impressive.

Leonardo and Michelangelo’s rivalry lasted far longer than the buzz over the competition. They spent the rest of their careers insulting each other in public and in private, making snide comments about the quality of the other’s work, and expressing bitter jealousy, paranoia, and dislike for each other—all while creating some of history’s greatest artistic masterpieces.  

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