Young artists Michelangelo and Leonardo navigate patrons and pursue their ambitions in 15th-century Florence, where banking and trade flourish but art remains a lowly trade.
Leonardo and Michelangelo, back in Florence in 1501, aim to surpass each other. Raphael, a talented newcomer, wins commissions, igniting a fierce rivalry among the three to be the city's greatest artist.
While Michelangelo paints the Sistine Chapel, Raphael works nearby on papal apartments. Both compete for the Pope's favor. Raphael creates School of Athens, showing Julius II amid classical philosophers.
