MICHELANGELO Buonarroti
(b. 1475, Caprese, d. 1564, Roma)

Battle of Cascina (central section)

1505
Oil on panel, 77 x 130 cm
Holkham Hall, Norfolk

In the autumn of 1504 Michelangelo was given the commission to paint a battle scene for the Palazzo della Signoria as a companion piece to Leonardo's Battle of Anghiari. This grand project came to nothing: the cartoon was finished - at least in part - by February 1505, but the urgent summons from Pope Julius II prevented Michelangelo from continuing with the work, for which only some drawings survived.

This picture shows the centwal section of the cartoon copied by Bastiano (Aristotile) Sangallo.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 12 minutes):
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: The Battle, suite