Amongst his familiar
friends was Francesco Granacci, a scholar of Domenico del Grillandaio,(7)
who, seeing the ardent longing and burning desire of the child, determined
to aid him, and continually exhorted him to the study of art, now lending
him drawings and now taking him with him to the workshops of his master
when some works were going forward from which he might learn. These sights
moved Michael Angelo so powerfully, following as they did his nature,
which never ceased to urge him, that he altogether abandoned letters. So
that his father and his uncles, who held the art in contempt, were much
displeased, and often beat him severely for it: they were so ignorant of
the excellence and nobility of art that they thought shame to have her in
the house. This, however much he disliked it, was not enough to turn him
back, but, on the contrary, made him more bold: he wished to begin to
colour, and he borrowed a print from Granacci which represented the story
of St. Antony when he was beaten by devils. The engraver was a certain
Martino d'Olanda,(8) a brave artist for that time. Michael Angelo painted
it on a panel of wood, Granacci lending him colours and brushes, in such a
manner that not only did it raise the admiration of every one who saw it,
but also envy, as some will have it, even in Domenico, the most famous
painter of the day; as may be seen by what happened afterwards. Domenico
used to say that the painting came from his own workshop in order to make
it appear less wonderful.
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