Condivi says that "Francesco's influence, combined with the continual craving of his nature, made him at last abandon literary studies.

This brought the boy into disfavour with his father and uncles, who often used to beat him severely; for, being insensible to the excellence and nobility of Art, they thought it shameful to give her shelter in their house.

Nevertheless, albeit their opposition caused him the greatest sorrow, it was not sufficient to deter him from his steady purpose.

On the contrary, growing even bolder he determined to work in colours." Condivi, whose narrative preserves for us Michelangelo's own recollections of his youthful years, refers to this period the painted copy made by the young draughtsman from a copper-plate of Martin Schoengauer.

We should probably be right in supposing that the anecdote is slightly antedated.