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Leonardo and Michelangelo return to Florence, both riding high and both determined to become the greatest artist the city has ever produced. It is 1501, and the people of Florence have turned on the radical priest Savonarola, burning him and declaring Florence a republic. For Michelangelo, it represents a new beginning, where art might once again flourish, and he is keen to offer his services to the newly reborn city. But Leonardo’s reputation in Milan precedes him, and the two men will vie to secure the best commissions in Florence.

Meanwhile, a third contender emerges: Raphael Santi, a young prodigy from Urbino, who has arrived in Florence to learn all he can from the two master artists. But it isn’t long before he starts to win work, taking commissions from the two older men. Michelangelo, in particular, sees Raphael as a direct threat and angrily criticises him as a plagiarist. The artistic rivalry in Florence becomes is set to become even more intense.