No comments about Vision, Reflection, and Desire in Western Painting (Bettie Allison Rand Lectures in Art History).

3 comments about Michelangelo: A Biography.

1. This is a very good biography of Michelangelo that ranks along with Irving Stone's "The Agony and the Ecstasy" (fictional bio). Bull includes numerous letters to and from Michelangelo that involve friends and family. One is left with a good overall picture of Michelangelo and his times. I would have given it 5 stars if Bull was a little more inquisitve about painting and how painters of the time went about their work (including Michelangelo).



2. I spent a week in Florence on my own and took this book with me. This book added so much to my trip. I would read this book while sipping coffee or having dinner...then I'd walk to the places it mentions in the book and lement about the stories I had just read. I finished the book close to the end of my trip. The book tells how Michelangelo's life ends...a visit to the Santa Maria where he is buried only seemed right.



3. I'll keep reading but I think I'm too uninformed about the Renaissance for this book to hold my attention much longer. It's nothing to jump from the year 1518 to 1513 to 1509 and back to 1519 in the space of 2 pages. And it's DRY. There are a few excerpts from various letters but they seem so vague to me. I'm not understanding the ramifications when a contract has been broken and money has already changed hands (it's happened a LOT)...I'm not understanding where the assistants come from, how many were needed, what their duties were and how they interacted with the artist, except to learn some didn't work out. I'm not understanding anything about the people he socialized with or even knew very well. I'm losing interest fast!

3 comments about Michelangelo, 1475-1564 (Basic Art).

1. A well written and illustrated book at a very reasonable price. The author writes about Michelangelo from an intellectually liberated point of view. A welcome change indeed. I would give the book five stars if the book binding were better.If you don't handle very carefully the pages may fall out. Still a good buy!



2. I bought this book to accompany "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling" by Ross King--which, if you're interested in the subject, is a great laymen's introduction to the glories of the Sistine Chapel. If you've ever had the privilege of seeing the ceiling or "The Last Judgment" you know you don't exactly get up close, and it's easy to be overwhelmed. This beautiful book concentrates on the details--of a face, a hand, eyes. The eroticism of Michelangelo's work is immediately apparent. The book also focuses on the major sculptures, as well as the artist's studies for his masterpieces. Particularly interesting is the discussion of the unfinished sculptures, which presage modern trends. All in all, a great introduction to the artist at a very reasonable price. (The binding seemed OK to me!)



3. This book covers the various aspects Michelangelo's works, with easy to read information text and pictures of many of his achievements. I'm happy I bought this book. I also bought Rizzoli's book on Michelangelo. The two books together showed and told me just what I was searching for. I knew little of his life and achievements and now have a pretty good grasp of what he really did.

3 comments about Michelangelo: The Last Judgement - A Glorious Restoration.

1. I must admit that for the longest time, my attention and focus, while studying Michelangelo, has been towards the Sistine Chapel. Most of the books I own on him devote numerous text and space to the ceiling, and a moderate take on the Last Judgement. It's not that I didn't appreciate the wall, or regard it as a masterpiece--truthfully, when I saw it in person, it floored me--I just didn't pay very much attention to it.

   Boy, was I missing out. After finishing the companion book, Sistine Chapel: A Glorious Restoration, I decided I should pick this one up as well (might as well complete the picture, so to speak).

   First of all, this book does not disappoint. The pictures are sumptuous and provide phenomenal detail. The Last Judgement is a very "busy" painting, with Michelangelo including approximately 400 figures, so it is easy to feel overwhelmed. This book systematically breaks the painting down into its various sections, detailing the thoughts (spiritual and secular) behind the depictions, bringing the fresco into focus.

   The book also describes the painstaking restoration the wall went through and its glorious results.

   After reading this book, I have a renewed vision and appreciation for this work. When I saw it in Rome, the wall stunned, scared and thrilled me all at the same time; this book brought that all back. Simply put, I love this book and consider it to be an important piece to my collection.

   Bravo.




2. Have you ever seen something that completely stuns your mind? This is exactly what happened to me when I first saw The Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel. Visually I was so overwhelmed that my mind just could not absorb this titanic Masterpiece. Thanks to the glorious photographs and comprehensive interpretation in this book, I realize how much more I have missed visually and spiritually. "Michelangelo:The Last Judgement-A Glorious Restoration" does this Masterpiece justice and reminds us of the God driven powers of Michelangelo. The pictures before and after the restoration are truly revealing and touching. They tell us of the tremendous effort Colalucci, Mancinelli and their team made to return this Masterpiece to mankind. Sirs, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
   And Yes I plan to return to the Sistine Chapel this year. Equipped with the knowledge gained from this marvellous book, I am sure this time I will know how to truly appreciate this sublime and colossal Masterpiece.



3. Anyone can appreciate this book, hundreds of pages of full color glossy photos of zoomed in shots of paintings done on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.... remarkable. Not bad for the price, usually for this type of quality you'd easily spend another twenty bucks... it has wonderful art history, explanations, descriptions, and fantastic imagery that makes you oooh and ahhh...
   
   My only complaint is that the colors are more muted and aren't color-corrected... the representation isn't as close to what I saw in another book (with more vibrant realistic colors). But for the money, this is an excellent value.
   
   If you're willing to dish out extra money, I also highly recommend "Michelangelo: The Vatican Frescoes" which has by far THE BEST quality photos, more closer zoom shots, as well as in-depth descriptions and photos of how they keep up with the color restoration in the chapel itself.
   
   This book is good for the price, it really is. Especially if you are a fan of Michelangelo. This is probably the second best book out there in my opinion. The only one better is the one stated above.
   
   Good luck, hope you enjoy it!

No comments about Michelangelo (Drawing Gallery series).

3 comments about Il Gigante: Michelangelo, Florence, and the David 1492-1504.

1. This book tells us about almost everything but little about the David.
   The author has selected info from various books and tells well known stories.
   Very disappointing



2. I was on the east coast of the U.S., on Cape Cod, several years ago, making my way to Florence for a week. This was to be my first trip to Florence [though not to Italy]. I was trying to decide on a good book to read while in Florence, just as I happened by a local little bookstore on the street in which I was walking. As I glanced in the window, there was Anton Gill's "Il Gigante."
   
   At that moment I had no doubt that this was the book for me to read on my Italian excursion.
   
   I read Gill's book as I was walking the streets of Florence, able to sit in a square upon which Michelangelo once strode, visit the many churches in which he worked, and sit for an afternoon in the Acdemia where `David' now resides.
   
   I found Anton gill's book to be full of fascinating details not only about Michelangelo, but about the creation of art in the early renaissance. Intermingled with stories about Michelangelo's `David' there are tales of politics and rivalries, patrons and intrigue. It was incredible to be able to read about the history of Michelangelo's commission's as I was viewing them with my own eyes.
   
   I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and I would highly recommend reading it while in a café on the streets of Florence.



3. Among the very best books about Michelangelo.
   
   Highly readable and one of those "Can't stop reading" type of books.

5 comments about Michelangelo.

1. This is an excellent resource if you are looking for a comprehensive collection of photos of Michelangelo's works. Text is minimal but concise; the main focus is on the works themselves on page after page of gorgeous black and white photos. The only real drawback is that I would have liked to have seen more color plates of his paintings; there are only a few, focusing on the Sistine Chapel paintings, with close-up details shown in black and white photos.



2. ..most of the plates are in black and white and not of a very high definition. i also wished for more detail plates of the major works.
   still, though, a decent value for the price.



3. I love this book. It is one of my favorites. For a long time I had been looking for a book on Michelangelo that showed some nice closeups and detail of some of his sculpture work. This book has that. It would add nicely to the collection of any artist interested in Michelango.



4. This is an amazing book. The images are huge and extremly detailed. I am a novice sculptor so for me the close up shots of his work are an enormous benifit to my work.



5. This Book is a good value for sculptors and modelers for studying M's works. Each plate has a short description of each work. This book is a valuable reference to all artists in fine art and digital art.
   
   Although the images are B&W it is a must have!!

No comments about The Agony and the Ecstacy: a Novel of Michelangelo.

No comments about The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo.

1 comments about Essential Michelangelo.

1. Compilation of Michelangelo's most impressive works including the Sistine Chapel, David and Pieta. Photos and descriptions included.