SHORT PLOT SUMMARY

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In 1512, Florence is buzzing with anticipation as Giovanni de’ Medici returns from 18 years of exile to announce a grand artistic contest. Florence’s citizens hope he will spotlight their hometown craftsmen, but Medici aims higher — to cement his family's power and Florence’s cultural dominance. With the help of Matteo Adami, a savvy PR specialist, Medici reveals that the city’s most renowned painters — Botticelli, Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Raphael — will compete in what he dubs “The Battle of the Brushes.”

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The four artists are wary of the contest’s fairness and their compensation. They demand the formation of a guild to protect artists’ interests, but Medici warns of dire consequences for anyone who refuses to participate. Behind closed doors, each artist grapples with how to produce a masterpiece in just three months, even with the unwavering support of their assistants.

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Meanwhile, a spy from rival Milan, Petrus, infiltrates Florence, aiming to sabotage the contest. The artists face personal and artistic struggles: da Vinci wrestles with the complex composition of his contest entry. Michelangelo is haunted by his fraught family history, and Raphael maneuvers his way through romantic and political entanglements. Botticelli goes to Medici seeking favors in order to gain an edge.

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As the artists attend a Humanist meeting, Petrus sabotages their artworks during the night, destroying all the pieces except Raphael’s — setting him up as the scapegoat. The next day, the destruction sparks outrage. The assistants rush to gather new supplies and confront their masters with the grim news. Suspicion falls on Raphael, fracturing the group.

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Act II opens with the city in mourning for the uncertainty of the festival’s fate. The three stricken artists acknowledge that Raphael was framed and eventually embrace his vision of creating a single unified masterpiece. As they collaborate, conflicts and compromises arise, revealing their strengths and vulnerabilities.

In a climactic twist, the assistants capture Petrus and reveal his treachery. At a grand ball, Botticelli’s stolen painting is revealed, proving Raphael’s innocence. The city debates Petrus’ fate, and an accidental mishap on the gallows leads to his death.

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At the festival’s finale the artists present a breathtaking collaborative masterpiece, featuring Botticelli’s vivid backgrounds, Michelangelo’s cherubic fountain, da Vinci’s ingenious waterwheel, and Raphael’s guardian angels. Medici and Adami feel betrayed and storm out, while the artists remind the city that true art transcends commerce and politics — it is a timeless gift to humanity, leaving "A Mark upon Eternity."

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CAST LIST

THE ARTISTS: 

SANDRO BOTTICELLI: Wise, cantankerous, but determined to stay in the game. (Age 65)

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MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI SIMONI: Grumpy, solitary, but driven. (Age 37)

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LEONARDO DA VINCI: Soulful, enlightened, ingenious, and competitive. (Age 60)

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RAPHAEL SANZIO DE URBINO: Energetic, ambitious, but insightful. (Age 29)

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THE POWER AND THE MONEY:

GIOVANNI di LORENZO de’ MEDICI: Ruthless, cunning, hungry for control. (Age 38) 

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MATTEO ADAMI: Medici’s PR Specialist. Craven, avaricious, soulless. (Age 50)

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THE ASSISTANTS:

GIAN CAPROTTI (aka SALAÍ): Da Vinci’s apprentice, companion. (Age 32)

ALESSANDRA: Da Vinci’s apprentice/assistant. (Age 22-24)

NICCOLO: Michelangelo’s clumsy assistant (Garzone). (Age 18-20)

GIUSEPPE: Michelangelo’s lazy assistant (Garzone). (Age 18-20)

MARGHERITA LUTI (aka LA FORNARINA): Raphael’s lover and muse. (Age 17)

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THE VILLAIN:

PETRUS: A Milanese spy. 

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THE ENSEMBLE: (5 Women, 5 Men)

MAXIMILLIAN: Duke Sforza of Milan

MARIA BIBBIENA: Raphael’s fiancé. (Age 20)

BRUNO and COSIMO: Florentine Noblemen. 

Raphael’s two playthings. 

MODERATOR of the Humanist Meeting. 

JUDGE; CITY OFFICIAL; SOLDIERS.

TOWNSPEOPLE: incl. Merchants, Nobles, Peasants, and Ball attendees.