Giorgio Vasari's biographical collection The Lives of the Artists is one of the most frequently cited art history books since the 16th century. It is also the first comprehensive book on art history ever created. In the work, Vasari brings together facts, knowledge, and sometimes gossip about almost 200 Renaissance artists. Most of the biographies are focused on Florentines and Romans, though Vasari also wrote about other European artists. The Lives of Artists not only discusses the importance of the artists, but it also serves as a book of art criticism. Vasari looked at the artists' paintings in minute detail, describing the positive and negative aspects of the artistry as well as the quality of the work. The Lives of the Artists has not escaped criticism, though. Many scholars and historians realize that Vasari's information was not always completely accurate; with the lesser-known artists, he flubs dates and other minor information. Vasari also sometimes invented some information and gossip about the artists. However, many have argued that the false information, or gossip, is truthful in spirit, even if the actual events did not happen. Regardless, The Lives of Artists is still one of the best art criticism and art history books in the genre, and it provides a valuable look at how the leading artists of the Renaissance helped to shape and redefine the art of their time. Contained here is a selection of thirty-three of the most important biographies from Vasari's expansive work is a single volume which follows the translation of Gaston du. C. de Vere and is printed on premium acid-free paper.
A heroic long-term project to reunite panels of allegorical figures made for the ceiling of a Renaissance palace's grand room
Published to coincide with their extraordinary reassembly, this volume recounts the intricate story of the reconstruction and remounting of ceiling panels painted by the celebrated Italian Renaissance painter, architect, art historian and biographer Giorgio Vasari (1511-74) for Venice's Palazzo Corner Spinelli. Realized in a 1542 commission, Vasari completed a series of panels of allegorical figures for the ceiling of the palace's grand room. Various elements of the decorative structure were removed from their original location over the course of the 18th century, and by the 19th century the works were completely dispersed. This lavishly illustrated publication retraces the critical fortunes and history of the panels up until their reunion and mounting in their current location, explores the restoration of the work, discusses the iconological interpretation of the ceiling and takes a close look at the preparatory drawings of the panels.
Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects (1550 and 1568) is a classic of cultural history. In his monumental assembly of artists' lives, no life is more vivid than that of Leonardo da Vinci, a near-contemporary of Vasari. Illustrated with the works of art discussed by Vasari, and including a selection of Da Vinci's studies of science and technology, The Life of Leonardo da Vinci paints an intriguing picture of the progress of art in the hands of the master. Succinct notes also provide new insights in light of modern knowledge of Da Vinci's career.
This beautiful gift edition offers a literary translation by eminent scholar Martin Kemp that respects the sixteenth-century Italian, transposing Vasari's vocabulary into its modern equivalent. Translated in partnership with Lucy Russell, the text will be the first to integrate the 1550 edition and the expanded version of 1568. This fascinating and accessible read coincides with the five hundredth anniversary of Da Vinci's death.
Giorgio Vasari's The Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors and Architects, written in 1550 and 1568, is a classic text of cultural history. This monumental assembly of artists' lives from Giotto to Michelangelo paints a vivid picture of the progression of art in the hands of individual masters.
This illustrated stand-alone edition of Vasari's Life of Raphael offers a new translation of this rich and remarkable life, elegantly rendering Vasari's literary text in modern terms. A work of authoritative skill and precision, this new translation preserves Vasari's exciting narrative, alongside beautifully reproduced color illustrations. Editors Paul Joannides and Rick Scorza bring together the original and expanded Italian editions from 1550 and 1568 with succinct commentary drawing upon their expert knowledge of Raphael's career. This fascinating and accessible read is published in the five hundredth anniversary year of Raphael's death.
Giorgio Vasari's classic work on the lives of Renaissance artists remains a valuable reference for art historians and enthusiasts. With detailed biographies of some of the most celebrated painters, sculptors, and architects of the 16th century, this book offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Italian art during the Renaissance.
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