LOVE THAT MOVES THE SUN
Vittoria Colonna and Michelangelo Buonarroti
In 1534, Michelangelo is no longer safe in Florence. Pope Clement VII, his childhood friend, summons him to Rome not only to protect him from his enemies but also to demand he paint a masterpiece that will be the Medici Pope’s legacy–the Last Judgment, a fresco for the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel.
At the same moment, fate brings the celebrated but reclusive poet Vittoria Colonna to Rome to petition the pope as a favor to a dear friend.
The two encounter each other briefly in the Vatican, and Michelangelo sketches from memory the enigmatic beauty of the poet’s face. When she sees the drawing, she recognizes in the artist the kindred spirit she has found elusive throughout the course of her turbulent life.
This fleeting moment is the foundation of a profound relationship between the two artists that feeds both their creativity and their need for connection in the midst of war-torn 16th century Italy.
Rich historical detail and masterful storytelling bring these legendary characters and their milieu to vivid, unforgettable life.
“. . . a sweeping historical epic and a sensitively observed exploration of the passionate friendship between Colonna and Michelangelo . . . . While Colonna and Michelangelo’s friendship forms the emotional center of the novel, the poet’s story and her journey as a woman and a writer are dynamic and multilayered. . . . A stirring and emotionally resonant portrait of a pivotal relationship in the life of Michelangelo.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“. . . an elegant portrayal of the friendship between the poet and the artist who stirred her from solitude. Intimate and perspective-driven, it explores faith, love, and the lines where public and private life converge.” – Foreword Clarion Reviews
“Cardillo gives us an intimate, rich, engrossing glimpse into the life of one of the most celebrated poets of the Renaissance and her extraordinary relationship with Michelangelo. Anyone who loves being immersed in historical detail that’s woven organically into a seamless narrative will love this beautifully researched and written novel.” – Susanne Dunlap, author of Émilie’s Voice and Liszt’s Kiss
"Linda Cardillo’s writing is exquisite, inviting the reader into total immersion in this life story of a challenged and challenging woman who left an indelible mark on Italian and spiritual history." – Viviane Crystal, Historical Novels Review
His hand moves across the page as if in a caress. But rather than stroking my face, he is sketching it. The late-afternoon sun in the garden illuminates not only his reluctant subject, but allows me to study him as he works.
The hand holding his red chalk is scarred and stained, the pigments from the Last Judgment imbedded in the deep lines of his palm. The hand has neither the elegant proportions of his David nor the evocative power of his Adam on the Sistine ceiling. But it is a robust and beautiful hand to me, a hand that clasps mine and lifts me up. A hand that encircles my own and fills its emptiness.
A light smile plays on his lips and I find myself reflecting it back to him.
“I don’t know why you’re doing this when you have much more important work that begs for your attention.”
“I do this because I can give both of us long life by depicting these faces of ours.”
“You intend to make us immortal?”
“A thousand years from now, people will see how lovely you were and how wretched I was. But more than that, they’ll see how, in loving you, I was no fool.”
I shake my head. “But you are a fool. What do you know of me to love me like this?”
“I know enough. When others looked at me, they saw only a rough-hewn block of hardened stone, an impassive shell. But you, like a sculptor, carved away at me until you found the soul within.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1JrGveVYOc&feature=youtu.be
The Colonna Family
Fabrizio Colonna, military leader and father of Vittoria
Agnese di Montefeltro, daughter of the Duke of Urbino and mother of Vittoria
Ascanio Colonna, brother of Vittoria
Federigo Colonna, brother of Vittoria
Pompeo Colonna, cousin of Fabrizio Colonna, military leader and cardinal
Prospero Colonna, cousin of Fabrizio and Pompeo, military leader
The d’Avalos Family
Ferrante Francesco d’Avalos, Vittoria’s husband and a celebrated military leader
Costanza d’Avalos, chatelaine of Ischia, aunt of Ferrante
Alfonso d’Avalos del Vasto, nephew of Costanza, adopted son of Ferrante and Vittoria
Beatrice d’Avalos, sister-in-law of Costanza and aunt of Ferrante
Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, husband of Beatrice and uncle of Ferrante
Vittoria's Friends
Caterina Cibo, Duchess of Camerino and supporter of the Capuchins
Giulia Gonzaga, Vittoria's cousin
Carlo Gualteruzzi, Vittoria's secretary and agent
Innocenza Gualteruzzi, daughter of Carlo Gualteruzzi
Michelangelo's Friends and Household
Baccio Rontini, Florentine physician
Francesco "Urbino" d'Amadore, Michelangelo's assisant