Machiavelli

a graphic novel

Niccolò Machiavelli, a mid-level functionary in the fifteenth-century city of Florence, was, ironically, not adept at the office politics of city government. On the contrary, he served his city with distinction and it was only after a regime change forced him out of office, that he retired to his farm and wrote the political treatises for which he is widely known, The Prince and The Discourses. Machiavelli, a graphic novel based on the life of Niccolò Machiavelli, focuses on the disparity between the widely held perception of the Machiavelli as an evil opportunist and the story of his actual life.

The prologue to Machiavelli is taken from his Florentine Histories, originally commissioned by Pope Leo X in 1520 and presented to him in 1525. Although I use the Histories exclusively in the prologue, as the book continues I draw on quotations from Machiavelli's other works and letters to punctuate scenes of invented dialogue based on an historical framework. For the artwork, I use pen and ink for the linework, and a brush with watercolor for the gray tones. It's all done on cold-press watercolor paper, which is absorbent enough for the washes and smooth enough to use a quill pen without splattering.

About the project

Machiavelli is a full-length graphic novel, which runs about 160 pages and chronicles the life of Machiavelli from his entry into public life to his exile in 1513. It is conceptually most similar to historical fiction like I, Claudius, in that I'm trying to create an engaging narrative from the life of a historical figure, keeping within the bounds of the historical framework and avoiding flights of fancy: Machiavellli's life was interesting enough that I don't feel the need to invent love affairs or fictitious collaborations with famous artists to spice it up. My aim is to combine rigorous historical research and narrative invention to create a book which is both informative and entertaining. I also seek to a portray a man who was, by all accounts, very idealistic, likeable, and engaging yet whose name has unfortunately become synonymous with duplicity and cunning.