“Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty”, Premieres Sundays, July 8-22, 2025 on PBS and Streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app

Some of the greatest works of art in Western civilization were created during one of the bloodiest chapters in European history. RENAISSANCE: THE BLOOD AND THE BEAUTY, a new three-part documentary series, explores the extraordinary lives and rivalries of three towering figures of the Italian Renaissance – Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael – whose timeless masterpieces were forged amid brutal political power struggles, warfare, and religious upheaval. RENAISSANCE: THE BLOOD AND THE BEAUTY premieres Sundays, July 8-22, 9:00-10:00PM ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS app.

Framed through the eyes of an aging Michelangelo, whose long life spanned this extraordinary period, the series traces more than sixty years, beginning with the Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478 and concluding with the unveiling of The Last Judgement in 1541. Through stunning visuals, compelling storytelling, and historical insight, the series reveals how these artists battled for favor, risked everything in service of their patrons, and reshaped the world’s understanding of art and the artist.

RENAISSANCE: THE BLOOD AND THE BEAUTY is narrated by Sophie Okonedo. The series features Charles Dance as Michelangelo, Jonny Glynn as Leonardo Da Vinci, and Joshua Duffy as Raphael.

Episode 1: “Rise” – Sunday, July 8, 9:00-10:00PM ET

Michelangelo and Leonardo struggle to win work in the brutal world of Renaissance Italy, navigating the shifting politics of powerful patrons and violent city-states. In Florence, young Michelangelo rises under the Medici’s patronage while Leonardo builds his reputation in Milan. Political upheaval and changing attitudes disrupt their careers and set the stage for an artistic rivalry.

Episode 2: “Rivalry” – Sunday, July 15, 9:00-10:00PM ET

Florence becomes a hotbed of creative competition as Michelangelo and Leonardo return to the city and battle for artistic supremacy. When Michelangelo is awarded the commission for David, Leonardo seeks to outshine him with technical innovation, but the arrival of the young prodigy Raphael threatens both men. Their careers collide in Rome under Pope Julius II’s patronage, igniting an epic artistic showdown.

Episode 3: “Redemption” – Sunday, July 22, 9:00-10:00PM ET

While Michelangelo paints the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Raphael ascends in the Pope’s favor while working on his private apartments. But shortly after the completion of the Sistine ceiling, the Pope dies, and as the Protestant Reformation tears through Europe, art becomes a battleground for ideology and power. As the new Pope, Pope Leo X, seeks to reassert Catholic supremacy, Michelangelo is commissioned for a depiction of The Last Judgement, which will become both a political statement and a very personal expression of Michelangelo’s own spiritual redemption.

RENAISSANCE: THE BLOOD AND THE BEAUTY will stream simultaneously with broadcast and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS app, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO.

RENAISSANCE: THE BLOOD AND THE BEAUTY is made by BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions for BBC Arts and PBS. The series is produced and directed by Emma Frank. The executive producer is Alexander Leith. The BBC Commissioning Editors for BBC Arts are Suzy Klein and Alistair Pegg. The Executive in Charge for PBS is Zara Frankel. BBC Studios is handling global distribution.