Michalengelo did turn the pope down!
So, at the time that the Sistine Chapel Drama was taking place, my boy had been commissioned to build reigning Pope Julius’ tomb, which he was more than happy to do because you just didn’t say no to The Warrior Pope (not even kidding, that was his moniker). Michelangelo, being Extra and Fancy, decided to make the tomb out of the purest white marble you could get at the time, and had ONE HUNDRED TONS quarried and delivered to the Piazza San Pietro over an 8 months long period.
Julius had shown a great interest in the project because, obvs, it was going to be his final resting place. However, because of Michelangelo’s expensive taste, the pope put the project on hold, which left the artist with freight charges of 140 ducats. When Michelangelo attempted to confront Julius about the sum during a dinner, he was told to come back to the Vatican a few days later to discuss it, which he did. In fact, he showed up *every day* that week, only to be turned out on Friday morning. Understandably offended, Michelangelo told the groom who turned him away “You may tell the pope that from now on, if he wants me, he can look for me elsewhere” before returning to his workshop and ordering his servants to sell all of its contents. On April 17th, he left Rome with the intention of never returning.
He was legit CHASED by some of Pope Julius’ men, but once he crossed into Florentine territory, where the Pope had no jurisdiction, he slowed down because he believed himself to be safe. He was however ambushed by the horsemen and he immediately refused to return to Rome with them. They insisted, giving him an official summons, which Michelangelo also refused, but he *did* write a response to the pope, “a defiant letter informing Julius that he did not intend ever to return to Rome; that in exchange for his faithful service he had not deserved such maltreatment; and that since the pope did not wish to proceed with the tomb, he considered his obligations to His Holiness at an end”.
Michelangelo was *convinced* that the reason the pope lost interest in the tomb was because of Bramante, and that a dark plot in which Bramante “was seeking to thwart his ambitions and destroy his reputation” was afoot (and he wasn’t wrong lmao)
Bramante’s reasoning to suggest Michelangelo for the Sistine ceiling was to legit sabotage him, because at that point in his career, Michelangelo hadn’t worked with paints, he’d only really worked in sculpture. Bramante was counting on Michelangelo’s known pride and arrogance, and he was hoping Michelangelo would accept and end up embarrassing himself.
Michelangelo refused the commission, at first, for 3 reasons:
1. The commission was a suggestion from Bramante, aka his sworn enemy
2. He’d told the pope he wouldn’t ever return to Rome
3. Ceilings were typically reserved for apprentices! The walls were traditionally left for experienced artists, as they were of course more visible and they had to look particularly nice, but ceilings were at a higher distance and therefore it wasn’t *as* important for them to be flawless. Michelangelo, who was a well-established artist, was Offended and Insulted to be offered the ceiling.
TL;DR The Sistine Chapel created a whole lot of drama, and Michelangelo legit turned down the pope because he was both paranoid and offended
(Source of all my info: Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by world renowned art historian Ross King)
