Why does Michelangelo always get to be the hero? That is the opening line to “Raphael, Painter in Rome” by Stephanie Storey. Ironically, Michelangelo is the hero of her previously published work, “Oil and Marble: A Novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo”, which is equally well-written. Putting that aside, the question is a good one. Why does Michelangelo always get to be the hero?

If you ask the average person on the street to name something by Michelangelo, they will no doubt mention the Sistine Chapel, the David, and