Chapter Thirty-Six

Rome, 1501

The cardinal stared at the cameo in silence. Then, as he had earlier, he went to the window where he continued his examination.

After several minutes, he broke the silence, saying, “I must admit that you have captured him, Michelangelo, but, honestly my son, did you have to make him appear so saintly? He looks positively angelic!”

“He is my patron, Your Eminence.”

“Yes, yes, but take it from one who knows, Pope Alexander and the virtue of humility are scarce acquainted. The likeness is uncanny, but a crown of thorns - really! Isn’t the fact that he appears to be praying to a God that I doubt he scarce believes in sufficient flattery?”

After a pause, the cardinal continued, “Still, as you say, he is your patron. I can only hope that should you ever essay my likeness, you will find it in your heart to be just as flattering.”

“I shall do my best, Your Eminence.”

“I am sure you will. Now, before I leave, who else are you going to depict for the other deadly sins?”

“After what I saw at the ball, I think Cardinal Malerba is the personification of lust while Cardinal Piccolomini might serve as my model for greed.”

“Piccomolini’s rather a non-entity, but I can see where he might covet what others possess. And whom have you chosen for the greatest sin of all - pride?” asked the cardinal. “I am glad you brought that up, your Eminence. I was thinking that I might reach outside the Curia, and I wanted to get your opinion.”

Della Rovere asked, “Did you have anyone special in mind? Not that slinking Machiavelli? That scribbler is not worthy to be included here.”

“No, I was thinking of someone who in a sense equated himself with the papacy and by extension God,” said Michelangelo.

“Savanarola!” exclaimed the cardinal. “Yes, my son! Perfect! He was the spawn of Cain, I am certain of it. If you can manage that - and I have no doubt you can - you will have won the approval not only of the pope but myself as well. Bravo, Michelangelo. I should very much like to see that one when it is completed.”

“As you wish, Your Eminence.”

“One final question, my son?”

“Yes, Eminence?”

“You were commissioned to sculpt the Seven Deadly Sins, and yet you have included an eighth cameo, depicting Alexander as the epitome of humility. May I ask why?”

“As you know, being a patron yourself, we artists often include our benefactors in our works. Have you seen Mantegna’s painting of Ludovico Gonzaga? Or del Cossa’s depiction of Borza d’Este? I could not depict the pope as one of the sinners, so I opted to portray him as an example of humility - the antithesis of pride. Also, just between us, I was afraid that omitting him might cost me part of my commission.”

“Although I find the depiction personally offensive, I am sure that you are acting wisely,” said the cardinal.

“Now, my son, I must be off. The Curia is meeting this afternoon, but as I said earlier - your secrets are safe with me just as I hope mine are with you.”

Pressing a small purse into Michelangelo’s hand, the cardinal said, “I will see myself out. Be well, Michelangelo, and should you require anything, always remember that as pope, I will be your next patron.”

The cardinal descended the stairs and Michelangelo heard the door open and close. Going to the window, he watched as the cardinal climbed into his coach and headed off down the dusty street.

Alone again, Michelangelo breathed a long sigh of relief and thought, “It’s true. A pawn may outmaneuver a bishop - or in this case, a cardinal - every now and then.”

Feeling refreshed, Michelangelo set about committing the image of Cardinal Malerba to the cameo. Selecting a stone with a deep-blue layer, he carved down to the white above it. He depicted a naked Malerba enjoying the pleasures of two women. He added the suggestion that a strong wind was buffeting the clergyman and his consorts - insinuating that their pleasure was being greatly diminished by strong gusts of wind.

Finally, he selected the yellow stone and he set about carving the likeness of the renegade monk Savonarola. Claiming to have seen visions, the Dominican had convinced the people of Florence to expel the powerful Medici family.

Preaching against secular art, sodomy, adultery, drunkenness and other moral transgressions, Fra Giralamo had in effect become the de facto ruler of Florence. When Charles VII of France had crossed the Alps, the rabble had seen the invasion as proof of the friar’s gift of prophecy.

Even his railings against a corrupt church had been tolerated by Pope Alexander, but when Florence - at Savonarola’s behest - had refused to join the pope’s Holy League against the French invader, Alexander summoned the preacher to Rome. Savonarola’s refusal was the beginning of his end.

The pope quickly excommunicated the preacher and threatened Florence with an interdict. Facing the threat of censure by Rome and the denial of the sacraments, the citizens began to question the authority of the friar. Challenged to a trial by fire by a rival preacher, Savonarola had stalled, further angering many Florentines.

Eventually, Savonarola and his two top aides were arrested and imprisoned. Under torture, he admitted that his visions were fictions. However, he quickly recanted, but subsequently confessed again.

On the morning of May 23, 1498, the three were led into the Piazza della Signoria, where they were stripped of their Dominican robes and hanged. As their bodies swung, fires were lighted below to consume their carcasses. As a final act of degradation, their ashes were collected and scattered in the Arno to prevent devotees from worshiping any relics.

Michelangelo worked down to the white layer above the yellow. On the right, he carved the coat of arms of Alexander. In the center stood the Dominican, Savonarola, his back to the coat of arms and thus the church. On the left, Michelangelo carved an ornate lily - the symbol of both Florence and France. “That is fortunate,” he thought, as he outlined the blossoms.

The punishment for envy is usually freezing rain, but since fire had figured so prominently in the preacher’s death, Michelangelo suggested flames at the bottom engulfing the friar’s feet while rain fell but failed to extinguish the blaze.

When he had finished, he noticed that it was quite late and he was famished. Placing everything in a hiding place that he had fashioned in the floor, he decided to see if he could still get food and drink at the tavern.

As he walked the darkened street under the moonlit sky, he thought, “We are almost at the endgame.

“All that is needed now is the pope’s approbation of the cameos and his approval of the plan that I have had devised to secure my own safety after Alexander passes.”