Chapter 11 The Crack of Two Forces-3

Of course he could not continue the monument to Julius II.But the saddest thing is that even the Church of San Lorenzo could not be erected.Not satisfied with refusing to cooperate with anyone, because of his terrible temper and desire to do everything by himself, instead of staying in Fei Leng Cui to do his work, he went to Kala Lai to supervise Chi Shi Work.He encountered various difficulties, and the Medici wanted to use products from the stone factory in Pietrasanta, which had recently been bought by Emerald.Because Michelangelo advocated the use of Carrare's white stone, he was falsely accused by the Pope of taking bribes; on February 2, 1518, Archbishop Julius de Medici wrote to Michelangelo, There is a saying: "We wonder if you are not willing to use the white stone of Pietrasanta for the purpose of protecting the Calare stone factory for personal interests... We tell you that there is no need for any explanation. Stones of Santa, nothing else... If you do not do so, it will be against His Majesty's wishes and ours, and we will have every right to express our serious anger at you... Therefore, put this stubbornness Drive it out of your head." In order to submit to the pope's will, Michelangelo was reproached by the Carrares, who connected with the sailors; so that he could not find a ship that would take him between Gina and Pisa. Transport Shiraishi. "I went all the way to Zina in search of ships... The Carares bought off all the shipowners... I had to go to Pisa..." Albino book) "The boat I rented in Pisa never came. I think I have been tricked again: this is my fate in everything! Oh, damned the day and the hour when I left Carrara ! This is the cause of my failure..." (April 18, 1518) He was forced to build roads in the distant mountains and in the wild and difficult plains.The local people refused to give money to help road construction.Some of the workers can't work. This stone factory is new, and so are the workers.Michelangelo groaned: "When I want to dig the mountain road to bring art to this place, I am doing the same embarrassing work as raising the dead." Book of April 18, 1518. — A few months later: "The slopes are steep, and the workers are stupid; bear with it! The mountains must be overcome, and the people educated..." ) Yet he struggled: "What I have promised, I will do at the risk of all hardships; I will do something that has never been done in all Italy, if God help me."

How much energy, how much enthusiasm, how much genius wasted!At the end of September, 1518, at Serraveza, he fell ill from overwork and anxiety.He knew that in this life of drudgery his health waned and his dreams dried up.Day and night he was anxious about the day when he would be able to start working, and he was sad because he couldn't achieve it.He is oppressed by a job which he cannot satisfy.Refers to "Christ Minerva" and the tomb of Julius II. "I'm dying of impatience, because my bad luck can't do what I want... I'm dying of pain, I've played a fraud, though through no fault of my own..." December 2, 1518 Letter to Archbishop Azhen on the 11th. ——The four colossal statues that have only started construction, and the "Slave" that is going to be placed on the tomb of Julius II seem to be the works of this issue.

Returning to Emerald, he suffered greatly while waiting for the white stone to arrive; but the Arno was dry, and ships laden with stone could not import it. Finally the stone came: this time, did he start? —No, he went back to the stone factory.He insisted that he would not start work until all the white stones had been piled up to form a hill, as in the case of the tomb of Julius II.He kept putting off the date of the start; perhaps he was afraid of the start.Didn't he boast too much when he answered?Wasn't he less adventurous in this gigantic construction project?It was far from his skill; where would he learn it?At this moment, he can neither advance nor retreat.

After spending so much effort, the safety of transporting Baishi could not be guaranteed.Among the six giant pillar-shaped white stones transported to Feilengcui, four were broken on the road, and one was in the locality of Feilengcui.He was deceived by his workers. At last the Pope and the Archbishop Medici grew impatient at the sight of so many precious hours wasted in stoneworks and muddy roads.On March 10, 1520, a papal bull annulled the contract of 1518 ordering Michelangelo to build the church of San Lorenzo.Michelangelo only learned the news when many of the workmen who had been sent in his place arrived at Pietrasanta.He suffered a cruel blow deeply.

"I don't reckon with the archbishop the three years I've spent here," he said, "I don't reckon with him that I've been ruined for this San Lorenzo. I don't reckon with him the insults I've had: all at once. I don't know why I was commissioned to do the job, and then I was not asked to do it! I didn't account with him for all the expenses I lost... And now, the matter can be concluded as follows: Pope Leo The mountain of good stones is taken back, and in my hand is the five hundred gold coins he gave me, and my freedom is returned!" Letter in 1520.

But Michelangelo was not to blame his patrons but himself, and he knew this very well.This is where the greatest pain lies.He fights with himself.What did he do between 1515 and 1520, in the fullness of his powers, brimming with the culmination of genius? —The dismal Christ of Minerva,—a Michelangelo without Michelangelo! Between 1515 and 1520, in the last years of the great Renaissance, before all the misfortunes had destroyed the beautiful youth of Italy, Raphael painted the Loges room, the fire room, and the He built the Villa Madame, presided over the construction of St. Peter's, directed excavations, organized festivals, erected monuments, ruled the art world, founded a highly developed school; Died in the midst of triumphant feats.April 6th, 1520.

His disillusioned misery, wasted despair, and broken will are fully reflected in his later works: such as the tomb of the Medici, and the new statue on the monument to Julius II.Refers to "victory". The free Michelangelo spent his whole life switching from one fetter to another, from one master to another.Archbishop Julius de Medici, soon to be Pope Clement VII, ruled over him from 1520 to 1534.