These two masters respected each other's work and would frequently consult each other for advice on future artwork.
Their lives and careers would take them to different locations in Italy and in some cases they could only communicate through letters.
Italy itself was a varied country at this time, a combination of contrasting Papal States with different levels of economic strength and political stability.
The significance of the friendship between the two Renaissance masters was captured by a recent 2017 exhibition at the National Gallery in London, UK. Galleries and museums across Europe continue to try to find ways to shed light on Renaissance artists from new angles.
