After the papal loss at Bologna, the Duke of Urbino (who later returned to power after Raphael’s death) really did murder Cardinal Alidosi (there are historical rumors that the cardinal was a cross-dresser and that he and the pope had an intimate relationship). One of Raphael’s portraits is likely of Cardinal Alidosi; I’ve always wondered how he felt about painting a portrait of a man whom his duke murdered; my answer to that connection is pure conjecture.

Michelangelo really did live in the Medici palace and studied in the Medici sculpture gardens when he was young. At a time when loyalty to city was paramount, I’ve always found it strange that Cardinal de’ Medici—as Pope Leo X—promoted Raphael to be his papal architect instead of Michelangelo. The final scene in Pope Alexander’s apartments is imagined; I wanted a grand scene that felt true to the time, was worthy of Raphael’s art, and helped me answer the question of why Pope Leo might’ve hired his “brother’s” rival. Also, Raphael really did save parts of the ceilings in the papal apartments painted by his rivals, and in 1515, the pope appointed Raphael as “commissioner of antiquities,” charging him with cataloguing Rome’s treasures and deciding which pieces should be saved for posterity; this all showed me that Raphael was—in spirit and in his career—a great protector of art. I wanted to bring that spirit to life in the final pages.

I have no way of knowing how Raphael reacted to the unveiling of the Sistine ceiling (the pope first saw the finished ceiling at vespers on the Eve of All Saints Day, October 31, 1512; it was not officially consecrated until mass on All Saints Day on November 1, but I chose to have Raphael see the Sistine alongside the pope that first evening). For Michelangelo, the pope, and all of history, that unveiling was an undisputed victory, but for Raphael such an overwhelming triumph by his rival must have been devastating. His determination to push forward and forge a brilliant career after such a setback convinces me of his extraordinary talent, optimism, and courage.

I can’t recount the truth or fiction of every detail here, so for more information about the history behind the novel and sample questions for book clubs, please visit my website at StephanieStorey.com, where you can also find a full bibliography. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite nonfiction selections (used for my research and recommended here if you want additional reading):

For an unbeatable account of the rivalry between Raphael and Michelangelo during the Sistine years: Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King (2003, Penguin).

My favorite modern-day biography of Raphael: Raphael: A Passionate Life by Antonio Forcellino, translated by Lucinda Byatt (2015; Polity).

My favorite big book of reprints of Raphael paintings (and scholarly analysis): The Complete Works of Raphael compiled by eight Raphael scholars (1985, Harrison House).