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Which unfinished projects did Michelangelo begin for Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio?
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Michelangelo
An engraving of Michelangelo derived from a portrait of the artist by Jacopino del Conte after 1535.
The only unfinished project that Michelangelo began for the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence was the Battle of Cascina.12
Commissioned in 1504, this work was intended to be a massive fresco for the Sala del Gran Consiglio, designed to serve as a companion piece to a mural by Leonardo da Vinci. Both artists were tasked with depicting military victories achieved by the city of Florence. Michelangelo’s design featured active nudes, specifically soldiers climbing out of a river to respond to an alarm. However, the project remained unfinished when Michelangelo was called to Rome by Pope Julius II. Today, the work is known only through partial preparatory sketches and copies.12