Michelangelo and Raphael: Renaissance Rivalry in Rome

Rivalries can be contentious and destructive, but they can also help fuel great works of art and the rivalry between Michelangelo and Raphael was legendary. Perhaps rivalry between these artists was inevitable, given that they were both considered geniuses in their field, and working on similar projects in the same cities at the same time. But Michelangelo’s difficult personality undoubtedly played a part too. Unlike the easy-going, pleasure-loving Raphael, Michelangelo was regarded as a solitary curmudgeon, who had stormy relations with his patrons and assistants.

Papal patrons were in large measure responsible for setting up Michelangelo and Raphael against each other in order to force them to outdo themselves while making steady progress with the commissions at hand. Join Elaine Ruffolo for a look at Michelangelo and Raphael's rivalry in Renaissance Rome.