projects: The Tomb The Tomb of Julius II was originally commissioned in 1505, yet was not completed until 1545 on a much reduced scale: 1505 – Commissioned by Julius; Michelangelo spends 9 months choosing marble at Carrara 1506 – Michelangelo returns to Rome due to a lack of funds available for the project. Bramante and Raphael, apparently jealous of Michelangelo's commission, convince the Pope that it would be bad luck to have his tomb built during his own lifetime, and is dismissed by Julius. Michelangelo, angry and bitter, returns to Florence. Julius, now with his army in a siege against Bologna threatens to wage war on the state unless Michelangelo presents himself and apologises, which he does. Julius give Michelangelo the unwelcome task of creating a huge bronze sculpture of the Pope. This takes two years of incredibly hard work. He then returns to Rome, hoping the Pope will renew his interest in the Tomb project. 1508 – Bramante and Raphael convince the Pope that Michelangelo's time would be better spent on the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican Palace (assuming that Michelangelo, primarily a sculptor, would have great difficulty in completing a painting of such scale). 1512 – Michelangelo completes the Sistine Chapel ceiling project and returns to the tomb. 1513 – Michelangelo begins three sculptures for the project: the 'Dying Slave' and the 'Rebellious Slave' (now in the Louvre, Paris) and Moses, which is now a part of the final design. When Julius dies the new Pope Leo X abandons the project. 1516 – A new contract is agreed between Michelangelo and Julius' heirs who demand the completion of the project. 1520s – Carves "The Genius of Victory" and 4 unfinished slaves, which now sit in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence with the David 1532 – A second new contract is signed by Michelangelo which involves a wall-tomb. 1542 – The wall-tomb is begun by Michelangelo after final details are negotiated with Julius' grandson. 1545 – The final tomb is completed, and installed in San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome; it includes the original 'Moses' sculpture along with 'Leah' and 'Rachel' on the lower level, and several other sculptures (definitively not by Michelangelo) on the upper level. One of Pope Julius II’s largest and most well known commissions was the reconstruction of St. Peter’s Basilica, beginning in 1506. When Julius took the papal office, the condition of the