Review: Oil And Marble By Stephanie Storey

Leonardo Da Vinci is an old master who is well celebrated and well known in medieval Italy, he has grown to fame over the years. But problems find him. He has barely finished a project that will keep memory of him forever, something that will be sure to wow the crowds for generations. He has earned a reputation of not finishing his work given to him by patrons. And to make it worse, being in medieval war torn Italy he has no choice but to abandon some of the best pieces and patrons that uphold his legacy and is forced to find a new one, something that can stand against the time of this world.



Michelangelo Buonarroti is a young man who has a short fuse. He’s on a mission to make a name for himself and his family by using his art. After completing his famous Pietà and receiving Pope Alexander VI’s praise for it he decides to head back to Florence to celebrate with his family.



But when the young man heads back to Florence it seems none are concerned with his achievement and are instead celebrating the arrival of the master of Vinci, along with the topic of curiosity on who would be commissioned with the legendary Duncio Stone.



When it comes to the day of deciding who gets the Duncio Stone the judges are met with Leonardo’s extravagant ideas and visions on what he can shape and mold the stone to be out of his hands and ideas; whilst Michelangelo is humble to the chaotic stone’s shape, wanting to understand it and give it the order it needs to show the beauty of it’s true nature hidden beneath the time eaten marble.



After Michelangelo Buonarroti is given the stone he cannot seem to understand or hear the stone’s quiet true nature. And as Leonardo Da Vinci goes through the market of Florence upset by his loss of the commision, he is suddenly met with a woman by the name of Mona Lisa who also seems hard for Leonardo Da Vinci to understand throughout the story. This is the story of how the two meet their legacies; and it is the story of their rivalry.



In this tale we witness Leonardo Da Vinci, who seems to be a parody of the ambitious Greek character Icarus; allow his ambitions to take him to dangerous heights. We see him try to come to terms with the changing times and the idea that he is getting older and that the people are much more interested in the youths who are now taking over the art scene in his days. We see him study life and its emotions, like love, from the outside; only to start experiencing love itself when he meets Mona Lisa, who is a wife and a mother that is very content and accepting with her roles but is also sure not to ignore the longing within herself for more. And we see him try to go against the forces of nature; attempting to mold untamable forces into whatever he wills.



We are also met with Michelangelo Buonarroti, who seems to parody the biblical David; We see him attempt to take down whatever giants try to stop him from earning a title within the world of art; rather they be his unsupportive family, his anger, or even other artists. We see him have compassion for his father who disproves his art while also having trust in God who he believes is very much present with him and his art throughout the story. We see him be obsessive and secluded with his great David statue. And we see him, unlike Lenardo, be one with nature and serve it well; allowing the force to be as it wills to be.



This story features war and medieval Italian politics that places the readers on their toes with excitement and curiosity on what the next moves might be. Along with featuring many historical figures like the ruthless Caesar Borgia and the clever Niccolo Machiavelli, we also are met with other famous artists within their times such as Sandro Botticelli, Donatello, Andrea del Verrocchio, and many more; giving us opportunity to share love for their legacies as well as we do for the two main subjects of the story. We see the intriguing technology that emerged within the Renaissance provoking us to be thankful towards the minds of the past and their curiosity. We get a lens into the intriguing relationships between artists and their art. And the story also reminds us well of the effect art can have upon the world and the types of spirit it may drive into people, as well as reminding us that art belongs to all who may love it and see it well.







The author's writing was youthful, comedical, very digestible and understandable. The author gives us insight into as well as romanticizes true historical events, using them to weave a very daring story that is full of excitement, bitter-sweet heartbreak, acceptance, and revelation.







I give this story five stars. It’s a great read for a person who typically reads young adult books and is looking to read something with more thought provoking themes. I will be sure to read and review the author’s sequel to this: Raphael, Painter in Rome. I cannot wait for the emotional adventure that is to come with the sequel.