July 1518, Roma.
Dearest friend, dearer to me than a father.
Greetings.
The correspondence between Sebastiano and Michelangelo
charts a friendship which lasted
for the best part of a quarter of a century,
which was a slightly uneven relationship
in that Sebastiano explicitly says
he hero-worships Michelangelo.
The letters are our main source of information about their work,
about their personal relationship,
and about a host of other issues occupying each artist.
February 1531, Roma.
Regarding your visit, for my part,
I would very much like it
so I could enjoy a little of your company
because I’m really dying to see you.
It is important to realise
that the relationship between Michelangelo and Sebastiano
was mainly a long-distance one.
Between 1516 when Michelangelo relocated to Florence,
and in 1534 when he resumed residence in Rome,
they only saw each other a few times.
The rest of their interaction is via letters.
May 1525, Fiorenza.
My dearest Sebastiano.
Yesterday evening, our friend Captain Cuio
and several other gentlemen
kindly invited me to have supper with them
which gave me the greatest pleasure.
I was infinitely delighted when, on the subject of art,
I heard the said Captain say that you were altogether unique
and were held to be so in Rome.
We’re very fortunate to have one letter
from Michelangelo to Sebastiano
in which he speaks to him in quite intimate terms, and
expresses genuine affection for him
and for his work.
Don't say, henceforth, that you are not unique
when I write and tell you that you are,
because there are too many witnesses.
Eventually the friendship between Michelangelo and Sebastiano
came to an end.
It came to an end not long after Michelangelo,
after many years, returned to Rome in 1534,
to live there permanently.
The ostensible cause of the rupture,
according to Vasari, was a dispute about plaster.
Sebastiano encouraged Michelangelo to paint 'The Last Judgement',
this huge painting on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel,
in oil and to use a special preparation
which would be conducive to this medium.
We don't know, but one possible explanation
is that Michelangelo actually thought about
and even perhaps tried his hand at painting 'The Last Judgement' in oil.
On Sebastiano's advice;
realised that it was unsuitable to his needs,
confirming his dislike of the medium;
decided to have
the preparation and whatever he had painted taken down
and have the wall re-prepared for fresco.
And after that, they don't seem to have been
on very good terms, ever again.
It is clear that Sebastiano spent most of his career
assimilating the lessons of Michelangelo.
Through this gradual assimilation
Sebastiano managed to create
works of great force and originality.
Works that transcend the moment,
that are timeless
and which speak to the core of our being.