Adrian reigned only a year and eight months.  He had no time to do anything of permanent value, and was hardly powerful enough to do it, even if time and opportunity had been afforded.  In the thunderstorm gathering over Rome and the Papacy, he represents that momentary lull during which men hold their breath and murmur.  All the place-seekers, parasites, flatterers, second-rate artificers, folk of facile talents, whom Leo gathered round him, vented their rage against a Pope who lived sparsely, shut up the Belvedere, called statues “idols of the Pagans,” and spent no farthing upon twangling lutes and frescoed chambers.  Truly Adrian is one of the most grotesque and significant figures upon the page of modern history.  His personal worth, his inadequacy to the needs of the age, and his incompetence to control the tempest loosed by Della Roveres, Borgias, and Medici around him, give the man a tragic irony.

After his death, upon the 23rd of September 1523, the Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici was made Pope.  He assumed the title of Clement VII. upon the 9th of November.  The wits who saluted Adrian’s doctor with the title of “Saviour of the Fatherland,” now rejoiced at the election of an Italian and a Medici.  The golden years of Leo’s reign would certainly return, they thought; having no foreknowledge of the tragedy which was so soon to be enacted, first at Rome, and afterwards at Florence, Michelangelo wrote to his friend Topolino at Carrara:  “You will have heard that Medici is made Pope; all the world seems to me to be delighted, and I think that here at Florence great things will soon be set on foot in our art.  Therefore, serve well and faithfully.”

II

Our records are very scanty, both as regards personal details and art-work, for the life of Michelangelo during the pontificate of Adrian VI.  The high esteem in which he was held throughout Italy is proved by three incidents which may shortly be related.  In 1522, the Board of Works for the cathedral church of S. Petronio at Bologna decided to complete the facade.  Various architects sent in designs; among them Peruzzi competed with one in the Gothic style, and another in that of the Classical revival.  Great differences of opinion arose in the city as to the merits of the rival plans, and the Board in July invited Michelangelo, through their secretary, to come and act as umpire.  They promised to reward him magnificently.  It does not appear that Michelangelo accepted the offer.  In 1523, Cardinal Grimani, who was a famous collector of art-objects, wrote begging for some specimen of his craft.  Grimani left it open to him “to choose material and subject; painting, bronze, or marble, according to his fancy.”  Michelangelo must have promised to fulfill the commission, for we have a letter from Grimani thanking him effusively.  He offers to pay fifty ducats at the commencement of the work, and what Michelangelo thinks fit to demand