Truly in a class of its own, Young Michelangelo is the most definitive and eye-opening study of the artist - Ęs early life to come along in a generation. In this compelling account, renowned art historian John Spike paints a vivid portrait of one of the world - Ęs greatest artists and the places and peopleł - Lorenzo de - Ę Medici, Leonardo, Machiavelliłthat inspired and defined his early life and career. - Ęs masterful text probes the thinking, evolution, and desires of a young man whose awareness of his exceptional talent never wavered. - Ęs complex personality is revealed through lively examinations of the Pieta, 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 - Ęs struggle to surpass da Vinci - Ęs artistic mastery, and his troubled relationships with Julius II and other key figures of the era.