The Agony and the Ecstasy describes Michelangelo's struggle to become the embodiment of Renaissance humanism. Over the course of the novel Michelangelo must overcome his family's interference, religious dogma, political intrigue, papal patronage, military campaigns, and artistic jealousy to realize his artistic ambition. Despite his father's opposition, twelve-year-old Michelangelo becomes an apprentice. , first to the painter Ghirlandaio and then to Bertoldo, a sculptor, who ran a school financed by Lorenzo de' Medici, patron of Florentine art. Michelangelo soon conquers Lorenzo's esteem, meets his children (including two future popes, Giulio and Giovanni, and Contessina, his first love), suffers the first of numerous attacks by jealous colleagues (his nose is broken by Trrigiani, whose subsequent appearances always threaten Michelangelo). ), and through forbidden dissection he learns the anatomy and physiology he needs. Eventually Savonarola, a reformist priest, rises to power, and his crusading zeal threatens Lorenzo de' Medici's family and the Florentine artistic world. When Savonarola gains political ground, as well as religious control, Michelangelo flees Florence and travels to Bologna, where he meets the sensual Clarissa Saffi and sculpts the Child which attracts the attention of Leo Baglioni. In Rome for the first time Michelangelo meets Jacopo Galli, a banker, who commissions him to create a sculpture; Giuliano Sangallo, architect; and Bramante, another architect and opponent. In Rome, Michelangelo sculpts the Pietà, learns of the whims of religious patrons, and takes an interest in St. Peter's: the construction of the new St. Peter's will embroil him in controversy and ultimately consume his final years. Michelangelo returns to Florence, where he sculpts "the Giant", a sculpture of David that becomes the symbol of Florence. There he meets Leonardo da Vinci, his main rival, and Raphael, the painter: the three become the triumvirate of Italian Renaissance art. Jealous of Leonardo, Michelangelo competes with him as the two artists paint frescoes for the rulers of Florence. News of Michelangelo's work reaches Pope Julius, who forces Michelangelo to work in bronze, rather than his beloved marble, and to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. It is Giulio who decides to build a new St. Peter's. Giulio is followed by two Medici popes who do nothing but increase Michelangelo's problems: Giovanni, forcing him to work the marble of Pietrasanta, an almost inaccessible region, thus making Michelangelo an engineer, and Giulio, against whose forces Michelangelo must use the his engineering talent to fortify the city of Florence. The Medici Popes were followed by Pope Paul III, who commissioned the painting of the Last Judgment from Michelangelo and who, after bitter controversies over the ongoing construction of St. Peter's Basilica.