Young Michelangelo: The Path to the Sistine: a Biography

In this biography, the author of the acclaimed Caravaggio examines the relationships that shaped Michelangelo’s first thirty years.

In this compelling account, renowned art historian John Spike paints a vivid portrait of one of the world’s greatest artists and the places and people―Lorenzo de’ Medici, Leonardo, Machiavelli―that inspired and defined his early life and career. Spike’s masterful text probes the thinking, evolution, and desires of a young man whose awareness of his exceptional talent never wavered.

Michelangelo’s complex personality is revealed through lively examinations of the Pietà, the David, and all other major works. Drawing on a rich background of Italian Renaissance politics and culture, Spike deftly navigates the fiery Florentine master’s struggle to surpass da Vinci’s artistic mastery, and his troubled relationships with Julius II and other key figures of the era.

Praise for Young Michelangelo

“Spike, an art historian, curator and critic, has done some impressive research to flesh out the early years of the artist’s life, right up until his return to Rome in 1508 to focus on a commission in the Sistine Chapel. The young sculptor’s daunting talent and quest to earn as much money as possible are woven into the story of the Italian Renaissance and the outsized figures of the age.” ―The Washington Post

“Spike crystallizes historical detail into vivid, memorable imagery. . . . Alternating between accounts of the turbulent political atmosphere and details of Michelangelo’s most private moments in the sculpture studio, Spike creates a rich narrative that promises more intrigue than the best adventure novel.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Such a comprehensive account of the master’s early life and rise to fame amid the political upheaval in the Papal States and Florentine Republic.” ―Art + Auction

John T. Spike, critic, curator, and art historian, is the author of more than 20 significant books on Italian painting and artists, including Caravaggio. He lives in Florence and teaches in the Sacred Arts Masters program at Regina Apostolorum University in Rome.