Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your immediate impressions of Oil and Marble? What aspects of the novel did you like or dislike?

2. Which characters struck a chord with you and why?

3. How does Oil and Marble compare to other examples of historical fiction, particularly novels about artists? For example, consider Irving Stone’s The Agony and the Ecstasy.

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Discuss a part of the book that evoked a particularly strong emotional response and why.

2. In what ways does Oil and Marble relate to your own experiences? Does it reflect your views about art? Why or why not?

3. Oil and Marble depicts an intense rivalry between two equals. Have you ever experienced such a rivalry? Would you have responded more like Leonardo or Michelangelo?

4. The novel depicts Florence during the Renaissance. In what ways do you feel that Renaissance Florence resembles or differs from the current world?

5. Leonardo and Michelangelo relate to art in different ways. Which of their relationships with art most aligns with your views, and why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. In what ways does Oil and Marble explore the issue of democracy?

2. How does the novel explore attitudes toward unconventional sexual orientation in Renaissance Florence? How much have attitudes changed?

3. In what ways does Oil and Marble reflect how people think about art in the modern era?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Discuss the structure of the novel’s narrative, particularly its division into parts. What do these parts represent?

2. Explore how the two protagonists develop throughout the novel. Which one experiences the most growth?

3. Discuss the significance of the Renaissance era to the novel’s tone and the style.

4. Discuss how the symbols and motifs in Oil and Marble, including any not discussed in this guide, relate to the story and inform thematic and character development.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Compile a list of artworks besides those mentioned in the book, that you think reflect similar ideas.

2. At the novel’s end, Raphael enters the narrative. How might you use his story as a sequel to Oil and Marble?

3. In Oil and Marble, Leonardo and Michelangelo compete for the Duccio Stone competition. Create a proposal for your own colossal statue, and explain the artistic ideas that you hope to capture.

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