Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty
The greatest artworks in western civilization emerged from one of the bloodiest periods in history. This series explores the lives of three of the greatest artists of all time – Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael – as they craft beauty from chaos.
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Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty on BBC Select
Episode 1: Rise
Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da Vinci struggle to find work and navigate the whims of patrons in Renaissance Florence. Michelangelo catches the eye of Lorenzo de’Medici, while Leonardo da Vinci offers his services designing weapons of war.
Episode 2: Rivalry
Leonardo and Michelangelo are both determined to become the greatest artist the city has ever produced. Meanwhile, a third contender emerges: Raphael Santi, a young prodigy who has arrived in Florence to learn all he can from the two master artists.
Episode 3: Redemption
As Michelangelo sets to work on the Sistine Chapel, his rival Raphael is working on the pope’s private apartments just a few hundred metres away. Each man is determined to outdo the other and win the favour of the pontiff.
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