The year Columbus set off from Palos
de la Frontera, his voyage blessed by
Isabelle, Pietro Torrigiano
broke Michelangelo’s nose, it’s bridge nigh
a knot in the legend’s future portraits.
By October, Chris found San Salvador
as Il Divino, his artistic fate
painted by Lorenzo’s death, set off for
home. He cuts into corpses, studies their
muscles’ structure and grace, sculpts Hercules,
learns later how it’s lost in France. Near year’s
end, carves a wooden crucifix, Jesus’
naked body a slender reed. Christmas
morning, Santa Maria runs aground
on Hispaniola. She’s left abandoned.
Roger Armbrust
November 5, 2010
