This programme is a revolutionary new examination of the life of the painter Michelangelo. We look at the tragic and fascinating nature of both his work and his personal life.

As a young artist, Michelangelo was fascinated by calamitous stories of guilt, atonement, crime and punishment. His paintings are filled with apocalyptic fantasies and impressive motifs, taking in themes like the creation of Adam and Eve, their expulsion from paradise, the flood, and the burning of Savonarola.

We scrutinise Michelangelo’s volatile character: his visions, anxieties, rages, ambition and often crippling self-doubt. We also try to understand his motives and reasoning, examining the despair, rage, fear, pride, and powerful visions which this exceptional artist experienced. In doing this, we gain an invaluable insight into the mind of a man who obsessively devoted his life to his art, and who refused to compromise.

We use flashbacks to unravel the legends surrounding the painter’s past, showing his years of apprenticeship in Florence, his help in restoring the group of antique Laokoon statues, his first primitive studio and his constant artistic rivalry with Raphael.

The film quotes from the chronicles, showing the original locations as references for Michelangelo's works and meticulously reconstructing scenes from his life. Documentary passages are melded seamlessly with archival material, re-enactments, computer animation, live action and CGI compositing.