5 comments about The Sistine Secrets: Michelangelo's Forbidden Messages in the Heart of the Vatican.

1. This book is very interesting because it goes into the culture and background of why Michelangelo spurned the pope with his art. I recommend it.



2. 
   The book is a "Michelangelo Code" of sorts, but like Dan Brown's novel, it offers no documentary evidence and nary a footnote to back up its claims.
   
   As someone who has led many a tour in the Sistine Chapel, the first thing that struck me about the book was how the claims of Blech and Doliner revolve around the most frequently asked questions by visitors to the chapel.
   
   Why is there so much Old Testament imagery in a Christian chapel, many query as they see the cycle of Moses on the walls and Genesis, painted by Michelangelo across the ceiling.
   
   The authors declare that Michelangelo changed his original commission from the Twelve Apostles requested by Pope Julius II to the Genesis cycle out of a secret sympathy for Jews. But Pope Sixtus IV, the uncle of Julius, had already hired the finest painters in Florence 25 years earlier to decorate the lower panels with the stories of Moses paralleling the life of Christ.
   
   As art historians and theologians know, the point of these images was to represent the seamless flow from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the fulfillment of God's covenant with man through the coming of Christ. As a consecrated chapel where the Pope would celebrate the Eucharist some 40 times a year, the theme of God's plan for man's salvation starting from the origins of our need to be saved was an apt choice for the ceiling.
   
   But for Michelangelo, the subject of Genesis offered the possibility of accomplishing a feat never done before: Painting a narrative 60 feet off the ground and making it readable from the floor through his unique sculptural painting.
   
   Doliner and Blech insist that Michelangelo learned about Kabala, a form of Jewish Gnosticism, in the garden of Lorenzo de Medici in Florence, when at 15 the young artist went to study sculpture there.
   
   They hypothesize that Pico della Mirandola was the origin of Michelangelo's interest in Kabala.
   
   Pico, a philosopher and humanist, had formed a syncretistic theory of all ancient thought from Plato to the Arab writings of Averroes to Kabala and the Bible. Like Thomas Aquinas' "Sententiae," Pico dreamed of defending his thesis before an international congress of scholars, but many of his theses were condemned as heretical and ultimately Pico retired to Florence.
   
   Pico, at the time Michelangelo met him, was closely tied to Giacomo Savonarola, the famed Florentine Dominican preacher. By then Pico had already recanted his heterodox theories.
   
   The authors overlook that Michelangelo was a third order Franciscan, like his hero Dante, as well as the fact that while Michelangelo never mentioned Pico, he often recalled the sermons of Savonarola throughout his life.
   
   But what they conspicuously neglect is that Michelangelo was taking a hammer and chisel into his hands for the very first time and embarking on the greatest love affair of his life, with the art of sculpture. Michelangelo's messages would not be interesting to us if his art were not so powerful, and that richness of his works comes from the ceaseless practice of his art. We honor him today for his extraordinary talent, which he knew was God-given.
   
   So how do Doliner and Blech turn him into a propagandist with crypto-Jewish sentiments and an anti-papal agenda?
   
   Drawing on Dr. Frank Meshberger's 1990 article in the Journal of American Medicine, where he proposed that the cape of God in the creation of Man was shaped like a cross-section of the human brain, the authors seize on the idea, speculating that it is the right side of the brain, which according to Kabala contains secret God-given knowledge.
   
   Even if Meshberger's theory were correct, one would only have to look at the Gospel of John 1:1, "In the beginning there was the Word," a source with which Michelangelo was certainly more familiar, to find the idea of God as Logos.
   
   Many tourists over the years have wondered why God, in the creation of the sun and moon, is so prominently featured from the back.
   
   In the hands of these authors, the tired old tour guide joke that this was the origin of the term "mooning," becomes the basis of their anti-papal theory. They claim that Michelangelo made God "moon" the Pope, because he was so angry about having to paint the chapel instead of work on the sculptural commission he had been promised.
   
   From here they extrapolate that Michelangelo was disgusted with the corruption of the papal court, as well as the Church's treatment of the Jews and added figures making other obscene gestures at the Pope. Besides the fact that these other gestures are nowhere to be seen, it is ironic that two writers purporting to be familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures missed the most obvious scriptural reference to God's "back parts," when Moses in Exodus 33 asks to see God's glory and is denied because no one can see God's face and live.
   
   God, to show his favor of Moses, allows him to look upon His "back parts." The Christian understanding of this event is that in the Old Testament man cannot see God, but with the Word made flesh, everyone could finally look upon God's face.
   
   This theological point, which justifies Christian art, explains why Christians have a visual culture and why Michelangelo could dare to paint God.
   
   The reason why Doliner and Blech have a chapel to study is because the people who gathered in that space and the man who painted it believed that God descended among men as Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, and in that space during the Mass, we could relive the encounter with the living God.
   
   Ultimately, the authors claim that Michelangelo, gainfully employed and greatly respected within the Vatican walls, was betraying the trust placed in by the Pope and theologians of the court, to advertise his own interests on the walls of the Sistine Chapel.
   
   It is perhaps not surprising that this idea occurred to co-author Roy Doliner, who despite a lack of any formal education in art history or theology has been able to earn a living giving tours at the Vatican Museums. He hangs his own agenda on isolated images from the chapel without any consideration of the chapel's meaning and function as a whole.
   
   The book is redolent with anti-papal sentiment, despite lip service paid elsewhere by Blech to Pope John Paul II and the "good Pope John XXIII."
   
   According to these authors, the Pope, his court and the endless stream of theologians, historians, saints and philosophers who have meditated on the chapel, were blind to this "code"; only the wisdom of Doliner and Blech could see to the mind and heart of Michelangelo. Gnosticism at its best.
   
   In the end, Doliner and Blech's interpretation of the chapel mirrors others that see the chapel as a sort of Protestant manifesto, and is only slightly more plausible than another recent theory that the chapel contains encrypted messages from aliens.
   
   Gender studies, psychologists, gay activists and thousands of others have seen themselves reflected in the ceiling and have co-opted Michelangelo for their own agendas over the years.
   
   Bottom line: If everyone can find him or herself reflected in the ceiling of the chapel, it makes Michelangelo pretty universal. And isn't that the definition of Catholic?
   
   * * *



3. I would like to tell Rabbi Bleich and Mr. Doliner that the naked men
   on the cover are inappropriate.I don't care if it's "art". There is no excuse for such a lack of tzniut (modesty). How do I bring such a book into my home? I have to glue a piece of cardboard over the cover???



4. Like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (and the Last Judgment fresco on the wall at the alter end), this book is wonderful at many levels.
   
   First, it will help people understand a lot about one of the great philo-Semitic periods of history. Together with Britain in Victorian times, surely wonderful to see the Italian Renaissance and the period of Lorenzo di Medici (The Magnificent) was a time of great interest in Jewish learning on the part of non-Jews and a sense of Jewish-chic.
   
   Second, a great deal of Kabbala theory will be found here. The first author being a professor of Talmud at Yeshiva U., he also presents quite a drosh on Talmudic and Midrashic issues as they touch on the images in Michelangelo's work.
   
   Third, an enormous amount of "insider" history of the period esp, about the papacy and Italy is presented. To call this "juicy" would hardly do it justice! Vast amount of historical fact (all right, call it "gossip").
   
   Finally, this is a book about great, if familiar art. It will help you enjoy Michelangelo's entire work (not just the Vatican masterpieces). There are many hidden messages within Michelangelo's work and many of these are based on his grasp of Jewish sources. If not all the observations seem convincing to all, a great many surely do.
   
   Highly recommended for people who love the real stories within history. By the way, the writing is as good as the best New Yorker articles.



5. This work got lots of press -- that it doesn't deserve. The best feature is the innovative fold out book jacket that turns into the entire ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Other than that, it is written for biblical scholars, not those interested in the ontology of the painting. Very few pictures, generally very poor quality. Not casual reading.

5 comments about The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming.

1. This book is soul-wrenching. A Must for everyone, regardless of religious affiliation. Brings together both priest and artist: Rembrandt's insights and those of Henri Nouwen. . .



2. Henri Nouwen had a truly God-given gift - the gift of explaining timeless spiritual truths in very clear, ordinary language in a conversational and deeply captivating way. His words and his explanations imprint themselves into the memory and stay in the heart, and truly help to change lives. Much of his wisdom surely comes from his own struggles, which he admits to in the book - he personally struggled with depression, pride, desire for success and fame, envy, etc. - common human ailments. He also struggled with feeling unworthy of God, and with feeling distant from God. Yet, he learned to overcome his struggles (though he admits that he is still on a journey), and he describes how.
   
   This is the third book I have read by Neuwen. After reading Life of the Beloved I really didn't think that anything could compare, but this book, if not better, is at least just as good. It is an instantly timeless spiritual classic. The whole book is a reflection on Rembrandt's painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son. First Nouwen reflects on the younger son who came back from a foreign land. Then he reflects on the older son who witnesses his younger brother's return. Finally, Nouwen reflects on the father figure. His insights are deep and beautiful. He leads the reader to a natural and yet incredible insight: that after identifying ourselves with both the younger and older brother, we must realize that rather than being either of these two brothers, we are called to become the father!



3. "Return of the Prodigal Son" is a wonderful opportunity to hear the gentleness and genius that was Henri Nouwen. The book was originally a talk given at retreat when Nouwen was 57, about 8 years before his death, in the time following his famous service at Toronto's L'Arche Daybreak facility for severely handicapped adults. Nouwen's humility is on display, as are his deep spiritual and psychological insights.
   
   The impetus for Nouwen's reflections was Rembrandt's "Return of the Prodigal Son," painted when the artist was elderly, and following multiple tragedies in his own life. Nouwen's inspiration is less the painting, though, than the parable. His lecture is split into three parts, focusing on the younger son, the older son and the father. Nouwen's take on the parable is Jesus's radical break with interpretations of God that held sway in his own day as they still do in ours. The God that Jesus defines is not angry, vindictive or retaliatory, but completely open in love and forgiveness. While many will agree with this description of the Father, fewer will agree with Nouwen that this image of the Father exists the rest of Holy Scripture (both OT and NT) as well. While many of us are willing to accept Scripture's seemingly schizoid vision of God, Nouwen does not. He is completely committed to the loving father portrayed in this parable. For those committed to the God of condemnation, hell and judgment, Nouwen will be a disappointment (or a challenge). Human beings separate themselves from a God who is always anxious to take them back, teaches Nouwen.
   
   In Nouwen's take on the story, the younger son teaches the journey from dissolution to containment. Dissolution includes dissipation of the kind associated with the younger son in the parable -- insults to parents, arrogance, squandering of resources, immorality. But dissolution extends to other activities and attitudes that spread our energies beyond our capacities. We spread ourselves too thin, spiritually, usually out of a desire to impress those in our lives whom we want to impress or influence. But by recognizing our sonship with God, we realize that we do need to impress of fathers (whether heavenly or worldly) into loving us, allowing us to bring our spiritual energies into containment and focus. The elder son often lives in our hearts alongside the younger son. The elder son's error is in resentment and separation. He cannot rejoice that "this son of yours" has returned from death, whining about his own ceaseless and unrewarded labors. But his error also speaks to a misunderstanding of the Father's love. He feels he will be loved *because* of his obedience (evidently given grudgingly) and has missed that his gift is to have been in the presence of the Father all along.
   
   Nouwen's deep insight into the parable, whose subtlety and profundity become apparent the more listen, is astounding. The parable has the power to heal as well. For any who have felt conflict or hurt in family situations, as has Nouwen himself, the parable points the way toward a recognition of our true place in the world, and in God's eyes. This is not a dewy "I'm OK, You're OK" insight, but can lead to a profound shifting of our existential relationship with ourselves, our parents and our God. What false fronts and defenses we might shed if we truly believed in a God who loved us as beloved children -- no matter how far astray we had gone?
   
   Nouwen's style and delivery belie the intensity of his own struggle and the wisdom of his teaching. Yet the insights continue rolling in, like waves following the passage of a ship, long after the book is over. A fascinating and potentially life-changing book.



4. This book opened up so many different ideas on the well known story of the Prodigal Son. I loved reading this book. It was my first Nouwen read, and it definitely will get me reading more of his books. If you are not familiar with Nouwen, this is a good first read.



5. This is an excellent life changing book. Presents the core truth of the Christian Gospel in a way that touches everyday attitudes and struggles. A book so personal and touching you may find that Nouwen is addressing your own unique circumstances. I certainly did. You may find yourself thinking about a new way to live. This book changed my life.

5 comments about The Lost Painting.

1. A wonderful book, a great story is doubly enriched with the finely drawn characters of the players in it.



2. Some authors with a best seller under their belts have been content to pump out a series of books in a similar vein. Jonathan Harr seems to be following a different path, good for him.
   
   Published ten years after A Civil Action, an acclaimed account of an environmental lawsuit told from the viewpoint of the attorneys involved, The Lost Painting deals with the arcane world of searching for, restoring, and authenticating art treasures.
   
   Readers follow in the footsteps of Francesca Cappaletti, an art history student, in search of The Taking of Christ, a long-lost painting by Caravaggio (circa 1602). She finds some leads and tracks the painting from Italy to Scotland, but there - in Edinburgh, around 1921 - the historical trail goes cold.
   
   Enter Sergio Benedetti, several years later, an Italian émigré who is working as a restorer of paintings at the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. On being asked to clean a painting at a nearby monastery, he astutely recognizes that it may be a Caravaggio original as opposed to, say, a painting done by someone else in the master's style.
   
   An investigation of the painting's provenance ties in with the chain of custody established by Francesca, and the results of scientific testing are favorable. Sir Denis Mahon, viewed as perhaps the world's leading authority on the works of Caravaggio, declares that the painting is indeed The Taking of Christ. Uncertainties remain, however, and another painting will turn up that cannot be entirely ruled out.
   
   The action takes place over a period of years, in several different locations (meticulously described), with revealing sketches of the principals (from passions to personal foibles) and even the technical details of what they do. Yet, somehow, Harr covers it all in less than 300 pages.
   
   For good measure, the book relates some of joyous ups and dreadful downs in Caravaggio's life (he was probably bi-polar). This material is fascinating, but I do not think the attempt to blend it with the 20th century story is entirely successful
   
   In the course of working on The Lost Painting, Harr learned Italian (enabling him to conduct interviews without an interpreter) and went international (he is now said to be living in Northampton, Massachusetts and Rome). Judging from the lengthy bibliography, he also did a considerable amount of reading,
   
   No wonder the project took 10 years! I wonder what this talented writer will do for an encore.



3. I was given the book to read by a friend who loves museums. It was a wonderful book and now when I visit museums in Rome my husband and I always head for the Caravaggio paintings (it helps that we live here). The book was interesting and I read it straight through. I have recommended it to others also.



4. "Less Than Illuminating - Review of Jonathan Harr's The Lost Painting"
   Daniel Jimerfield
   
   Caravaggio was an Italian painter who died at the age of 39 in the year 1610. During his lifetime, he had achieved a mild degree of celebrity which was not to last. It was not until 1941 that Roberto Longhi, the acclaimed art historian, began to champion Caravaggio as the "least known (Master) in Italian art." Longhi put together an exhibition in 1951 which would lead to a resurgence in appreciation of and interest in Caravaggio that continues unabated to the present. In fact, many art enthusiasts can be said to display symptoms of the "Caravaggio disease," an unhealthy obsession with the newly reconsidered Master.
   Caravaggio's style has been described as "excessive naturalism" or a "shadowy scene depicted by a single light." He is ultra dramatic and not without a certain dark humor. Arriving in Rome from Milan in 1592 at the age of 21, Caravaggio was destitute so he began to carve small, crude statues for simple room and board. He also sold paintings of his own devising on the street like other young artists. After making the acquaintance of an art dealer named Constantino Sparta, Caravaggio began to sell work to more prominent members of society. He found his first patron in Cardinal Francesco Del Monte who purchased "The Cardsharps" - a painting showing two card hustlers cheating a rich, young man out of his money. The Cardinal offered the artist room and board and the freedom to paint. Apparently, Caravaggio was an exceedingly unpleasant person - once, after the police had stopped him for carrying a sword and dagger in public, he produced a license and uttered some choice expletives. Caravaggio became embroiled in serious feuds, committed some crimes, and was forced to flee Rome. On the run and afraid, he died of exposure shortly before receiving a pardon for his misdeeds.
   Only 80 authentic Caravaggio paintings are known to exist. Many experts enjoy disputing whether versions are authentic or not. Roberto Longhi and Sir Denis Mahon, two outstanding art history minds, disagreed over which of two versions of "St. John the Baptist" was the real thing. Sir Denis Mahon's so called Capitoline version is now generally credited with authenticity. In Jonathan Harr's "The Lost Painting," he recounts this epic, academic battle in a narrative, non-fiction fashion, attempting to spice it up along the way with relatively interesting but largely inconsequential details. The true subject of the book, of course, is the long misplaced Caravaggio "The Taking of Christ," known to have existed but lost to the sands of time. Harr tries to add a romantic, racy element to the book with his inclusion of an art investigator's love life, an unneeded and distracting side plot that adds little except for perhaps more readers. The painting is eventually located in an abbey in Ireland and Harr once again moves the focus to an Italian art restorer who may or may not have slightly damaged the painting when he performed a much needed relining. Harr spends too many pages dwelling on petty, interpersonal intrigues that, in the end, have no connection to the true drama that was Caravaggio's life and passion.
   I have read a great deal of books in this genre and in the main find them to be not only highly readable but surprising and informative. I had hoped that Harr's book would fulfill some of these same qualities but I found I was disappointed. I feel "The Lost Painting" would have made an arresting, lengthy magazine article but it did not warrant a full length book.



5. Given the dry nature of Art History this book is a great page turner. The pace and writing make this read like something out of fiction. An outstanding read.

5 comments about Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God.

1. This book presents a way to combine prayer and meditation with simple art production. I have been using ideas gleaned from it for over two months and find myself eager to pray each day. I have also bought three other copies to use as gifts -- a good indication of how valuable I have found it to be.



2. This book offers a very creative way to use simple drawing materials and doodling as a form of prayer. Using color, shape, and lines makes it easy to stay engaged in prayer, whether on behalf of others or for oneself. The finished product is a visual reminder of the prayer.



3. In meetings or in church I doodle constantly. It helps keep me focused. This book has bought a new dimension to prayer and doodling. As soon as I received this book I started to put it into practice. I spent over 15 minutes colour praying for my 29yr old son and it was a time of great joy and rejoicing. I've found that these visual prayers stay with me through the day so that I'm beginning to understand more what it is to pray without ceasing.



4. This book is good.. i mean really good.. (Hey everyone, come look at how good this book is)!.. i love it.. its very creative.. and im not.. so its fun.. and its cool to look at old prayers you drew.. sweet..



5. I read a summary about the book in Christian magazine. I did not purchase it for myself, but for my mom-in-law. I gave it to her for her birthday. A few weeks later she told me it was "right up her alley". That tells me that it will be a blessing to her.
   
   Thanks!

5 comments about Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism.

1. This is the book I've always been looking for, and just didn't know it. Not only is this a fabulous reference book for taphophile, but it's also just good reading. As much time as I have spent wandering and working in cemeteries, I've learned some interesting facts. The book is also quite lovely, and well organized. And the facts seem well researched, and gives quotes from the appropriate religious texts when appropriate. It also gives more than the Christian context for many of the symbols and seems well balanced for an overview of American cemeteries. I knew within seconds of browsing this book I had to have it, and it's been nothing but wonderful since.



2. This book is excellent for anyone interested in cemetery symbolism and/or genealogy. The photographs make it all the easier to understand. I highly recommend this book...it's one of the best of it's kind that I have found.



3. I found this a facinating book. It was ordered for one particular cemetery display but was found to contain some amazing monumnets. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cemetery or religious art.



4. Dead men may tell no tales, but the symbols on their tombstones do. This guidebook is geared for genealogists and cemetery fans. Several chapters on cemetery symbols include Flora, Fauna, Religious Symbols, Secret Societies, and Mortality Symbols. Other chapters are a guide to cemetery architecture, tomb types and a selection of unique tombs.
   
   The book is illustrated with numerous photographs and includes an alphabetical listing of acronyms and abbreviations of societies, clubs and organizations. A chapter on mortality symbols discusses everything from the skull and crossbones to the grim reaper. There are chapters on symbols of flora (plants), fauna (animals), and religions (Christian, Hebrew, Chinese and Japanese), including descriptions of different kinds of crosses. Angels, who seem to gather in cemeteries everywhere, get their own section called "Heavenly Messengers." I was especially impressed with the chapter devoted to secret societies and organizations such as the Masons/Freemasons, Woodmen of the World, Knights Templar, Knights of Columbus, Odd Fellows, Grand Army of the Republic, Shriners, and others. Each of these is illustrated with an example photograph.



5. Information is great but format leaves something to be desired. Book is odd size especially considering price and type is very small. Get out your magnifying glass for this one. Layout and type really take a lot away from the book.

3 comments about Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire.

1. I LOVE Saving Paradise!! Brock and Parker provide a historical lens through Christian thought and practice that demonstrates that the earliest followers of Christ embraced a theology of hope, life, and living community as opposed to the emphasis on torture, suffering, and death. As a graduate student of church history, I found myself amazed in my own studies of even so-called `orthodox' Church Fathers including Justin Martyr, Ireneaus, and Origen that a theology of the cross was not highlighted. Instead, these thinkers, whose works are indicative of many early Christian communities, highlight the Incarnation of Christ as the crucial defining event--the coming of the Logos to the world as a human being. Even later thinkers (like Athanasius and Cyril) embroiled in the Christological controversies of Nicaea and later Constantinople, were concerned with the definition of the Logos-man--how God could come in the flesh. Again, it was the living incarnation of God in Christ that was the crucial defining event--that is, the LIFE that God brought to humanity through Christ, not the death and suffering of the crucifixion alone which is the pivotal event in Christology! Brock and Parker make this case convincingly by traveling through the annals of church history and showing that it was in the second millennium of Christian history, amidst the warring struggles of the tribes of Europe and later in the birth of the Holy Roman Empire, that the theology of the crucifixion rises to prominence. This book is a MUST for students of the bible, Christian thought, the history of Christianity, theology, or anyone interested in the way that Christian ideas and doctrine are transmitted through the church and other institutions! In addition, it is a DELIGHTFUL read! The text is comforting and enjoyable to peruse, and is very spiritual and healing in places, particularly in the description of early Christian rites and practices. There are portions of this text that I plan to read over and over again in the future for this reason. Persons who have questioned or even struggled with the focus of torture and suffering in the passion and crucifixion singly as the way to salvation in the Christian faith will find themselves blessed and encouraged by these authors' re-discovery of the beauty, light, community, and fellowship among early followers of Christ--paradise!!



2. SAVING PARADISE illuminates the origins of Christianity and the quest for human wholeness and shows how both got "hijacked" by imperial ambitions in the 9th. c., leading to the crusades and other forms of church sanctioned violence. From an Ameircan Studies studies standpoint, the last four chapters showing the connection among this dislocated Christianity, imperial ambitions, New World conquest, and the enslavement of African peoples are extremely valuable. The chapters shed suprizing light on familiar figures such as Edwards, Emerson and Thoreau by examining them within Christianity's cultural shift to redemptive violence. This is a book that calls us to struggle for justice and peace on this earth, rather than some imagined afterlife or 'new world.' For those who are willing to embrace it, this work frames a challenge to re-vision love for this world here and now as the necessary first step for creating a sustainable future. It transcends doctrine and denomination to elevate theoretical discourse and empower practical imagination, giving us both a history of how we got into our present situation and resources for finding our way out of it. A must read for intelligent persons of all persuasions in a world where truth is increasingly scarce and profound reconsiderations are imperative.



3. Where does new hope come from? Often from remembering what has been lost. As a work of Christian historical theology, this is one of the most important books of the current generation. It does what a great theologian once called 'epochal thinking' about how Christianity MUST, in an era of environmental crisis and religious conflict, recover the theological sensibility that marked the first thousand years of Christian faith -- when Christ was understood and depicted as opening the possibility again of human life together in an earthly paradise, and before that vision was replaced by one of Christian imperialism and salvation by violence. The prose here is sparkling. The research is thorough and well-documented. The thesis is challenging. The only weakness, in my view, is in the theological summary. When the co-authors call for us to embrace the good earth we have been given in gratitude, I'm with them. But when they emphasize present thanks by denigrating the temptations of both nostalgia and hope, I think they forget what they themselves teach about how lamentation is the necessary prelude to a resurrection,
   and even the very arc of their own argument. They give us hope through their active nostalgia for a once dominant form of Christian thought and practice that we desperately need to recover today.

5 comments about Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling.

1. We saw the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and I wanted to know more about the person and the era that it was created. This book helped fill in the gaps of my knowledge.



2. This is one of the finest historical books I have read. It is well researched and insightful, as well as occasionally funny. King has an amazing way of bringing historical figures to life and placing them in context. I read it as I travelled Italy and finished as we visited the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. Perhaps that brought it to life more for me. I recommend this book to anyone who is even mildly interested in Michelangelo or art. It is a great read.



3. If you have come this far, you really should go ahead and get this book and read it. Make sure you have some time set aside, because once you start you will not want to put this book down. This is the third Ross King art history book I have read. It meets my two criteria for an Amazon review: Is it worth the time? Is it worth the money? Yes and yes. It is highly readable, factual and entertaining. It provides insight into the works of Michaelangelo, which constitute some of the great cultural artifacts of civilization. At the same time, King sticks to his subject - The Chapel Vault- thus he has little discussion of early Medici years, many of the great sculptures, the Last Judgement and even the architecture of St Peter's. This is focused on this special period and task. The events of Julius II's reign and his military campaign are the core of discussion - one is tempted to wonder what aesthetic motives drove this man. We are made aware of Raphael working across the way and Bramante and his group fishing for influence. The point of view is decidedly in favor of Michaelango's side in controversies, but evidence is somewhat balanced. Whatever happens in your reading program, do not miss this one.



4. A master sculptor, who becomes a painter, to continue with his quest and passion as a sculptor. King's accounting of the painting of the sistine chapel ceiling is filled with details of day-to-day situations arranged and contrived by the artist. Micelangelo must use real world problem solving skills to deal with the realities of his times in his performance in completing a task of incrediable challenges. King convincingly clarifies and disarms some of the myths surrounding the work and working process. Clearly King has done his research and gives an insightful accounting of the life and times of Pope Julius II and his relationship with Michelangelo and other artist, architects and politicians. The warrior Pope maintains a love and support of the arts throughout his career with a special display of admiration and love for the artist, Michelanglo. He does all this while managing some strategic manuevers in an era of difficult and trying political arena. For anyone interested in the Renaissance art and artist of the time this approach to learning is a pleasant read. As for me, I am looking into what else Mr. King has to offer.



5. I found this an excellent read. It's pretty much a straight forward story of Michelangelo. It seemed to have updated information compared to "The Agony and the Ecstacy" and much less drama.

5 comments about Michelangelo (XL Series).

1. Excellent pictures of the frescoes, inadequate coverage of sculptures. This book is unrivaled for the sheer size of its reproductions. It is so huge that it is a bit difficult to read--one has to rest it on a table. Not suitable for reading in bed, to say the least. But the quality of the printing and colors in the main part of the book is first class. Its coverage is especially fine on the paintings. It comprehensively covers the Sistine Chapel with huge-size foldout prints of every fresco. There are fine close-ups of important areas, which are an amazing 2/3 of life size. One can examine these fresco details from a foot away--never before possible--instead of from 60 feet away with a craned neck. This can be breathtaking.
   
   The sculpture photos are good too, but not numerous. I had been expecting several photos of each sculpture from various angles. Bacchus, Pieta, and David are well shown in multiple views but this is not the case for most works.
   
   The text is on the whole well written and interesting.
   
   The authors have extreme views on authenticity. This leads them to exclude very important sculptures because, it appears, the authors consider them unproven to be authentic. For example, the Santo Spirito wooden crucifix is shown only small, poor quality, and in black and white. (A far better, color, picture, can be found, free, in Wikipedia.) Even the Madonna and Child bas-relief that is his first work, the one selected to adorn the cover of the 100,000 euro La Dotta Mano book, and, worst of all, the four Slave sculptures, some of his most iconic works, are also relegated to poor quality black-and-whites at back of the book, as all are judged suspect by these authors.
   
   Some paintings receive the same relegation: the Manchester Madonna (which is clearly at least in part by Michelangelo) is hardly visible in a tiny, dark, picture, and the Entombment.
   
   A book claiming to be comprehensive should have a more detailed and thorough section on questioned works. Opinions change over the years and some of these will be authenticated later. In some cases it seems that the authors are among few people who dispute authenticity.
   
   The book has a very large number of drawings, but the coarser paper in that section of the book, and the low contrast and low resolution and small size (even in this monster book) of their printing, makes them hard to see clearly. This section is a strange contrast to the wonderful beauty of the fresco reproductions in the first section of this book. It would have been better by far to show fewer drawings at a larger size, and illustrate the sculptures properly.
   
   Nevertheless, this is an outstanding book for the frescoes and pretty good for the sculptures that are shown.



2. this book is extraordinary for the paintings; the drawings are documented, but its print quality is rather low, even the quality of paper they are printed on is inferior... and THIS IS A VERY DISAPPOINTING BOOK FOR THE SCULPTURES



3. Wonderful inside and out. No further commentes are necessary: by all means, buy it !!



4. This massive book is stronger on the paintings than on the sculptures. And after all, Michelangelo is one of the greatest (to me the greatest) sculptors of all time. Still, this impressive book is certainly worth purchasing. Try to find a copy of the William E. Wallace book published in 1998 to enjoy magnificent plates on the sulptures. You might still find copies online from remainder booksellers.



5. I received this book yesterday, and it is certainly a monumental work, weighing close to 20 pounds and superbly produced. But potential buyers should be aware that while this book is labeled as a definitive, complete guide to Michelangelo's work, its real focus are the paintings and drawings. There is probably no better book for the Sistine Chapel ceiling and the Last Judgment, with scores of extraordinary closeups of every part of each painting. The foldout of the creation of Adam is a joy to behold. Readers may or may not like the fact that probably 40% of the book is on Michelangelo's drawings, given that these are mostly preliminary sketches for sculptures or paintings, as opposed to complete drawings in their own right, as in the case of Leonardo Da Vinci. The book also covers Michelangelo's architecture very well.
   But obviously many readers will buy this book because they want to see Michelangelo's sculptures, and this book is surprisingly, disappointingly weak in this area. Of course, the David gets its due and there is also good coverage of the Vatican Pieta and, oddly, the Bacchus. But many of the other sculptures, such as the Moses and the Risen Christ, get only one large and one small picture, despite the fact that the book, at over 700 pages, has space to spare. By contrast, the "Complete Michelangelo" by William Wallace provides multiple views of each and every piece of sculpture.
   But most incredible, indeed inexplicable, of all, is that this book (unlike Wallace, or any other Michelangelo book that I know of) fails to provide any large pictures at all of what are, next to the David, the most iconic and powerful of Michelangelo's sculptures: his four "prisoners" in Florence. Having seen these in person, I can easily understand why artists for centuries have looked in awe at these amazing "unfinished" sculptures which show figures struggling to emerge from the marble-which is exactly what Michelangelo felt he was doing when he took his chisel to the rock. How on earth, in a book of this size and ambition, can the omission of these sculptures be explained? Indeed, no explanation is provided, and the only illustration of these four sculptures, which have so influenced modern art, is four tiny, poor quality pictures in the second section of the book that is a complete catalog of all of Michelangelo's sculptures. By contrast, the Wallace book has a four page foldout that shows the four sculptures next to each other.
   In short, this book is fantastic for the paintings and drawings and a very disappointing missed opportunity for the sculptures. One can only wistfully imagine what would have been if the sculptures had been photographed as carefully and as thoroughly as the Sistine Chapel paintings. By all means get this book--and overall I am glad that I did, despite its high cost--but adjust your expectations and don't expect that this one book will suffice to fully cover all of Michelangelo's genius.

5 comments about Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts.

1. A couple of years ago I interviewed singer/composer/producer Charlie Peacock for an online magazine. He sent me a copy of this book, and since then I have read it through about five times. Turner's insight and vision for Christian artists of all disciplines is almost incomparable in the modern church. He backs up his assertions with any number of contextually accurate scriptural references, and provides more encouragement for the bored and searching artist than he does condemnation of the status quo in Christian-produced art (although there is plenty to condemn). I consider this book absolutely essential for every Christian musician, dancer, painter, poet or artist of any color. It will radically transform your vision for glorifying God if you take its message to heart.



2. Steve Turners book is very accessible. It should be part of the basic reading and discipleship for all Christians, not just artists. But as the other reviewers have mentioned, He redeems art, or creative expression in most all its form, as a field of practice and calling for Christians. So his work should be read by those confessing Christ and interested in creative endeavors. Turner encourages and gives Christians the vision to be instruments of hope, beauty and truth- instruments of redemption- in and through the arts. Turner does a good job explaining why there is so little protestant involvement in the arts. And to a lesser extent he explains why that little involvement has had even less influence. Turner's work is a good starting point on a bibliography of redeeming Culture- Francis Schaeffer Art and the Bible (L'Abri Pamphlets), Hans Rookmaaker, Greggory Wolfe, Makoto Fujimura It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God are few others in a increasingly longer list. Enjoy!



3. Steve Turner did an excellent job with this book. It is a very easy read but is well thought out and insightful. He does a good job of outlining the historical reasoning for the sad state of "christian art" today. But, he also does what other authors pretend to do but never actually accomplish. He provides a solid theory from which Christian artists can work. After explaining the historic reasons for our situation he then discusses the issue from a solidly biblical perspective doing a good job of puting the scripture in context for this discussion. He rightly argues that art produced by Christian Artists needs not be overtly religious. God is the God of the "secular" and the "religious".
   
   Especially helpful is Turner's theory of five concentric circles. The cicles represent diferent levels of direct religiosity in the work with the outer showing no specific workview and the inner being focused on the cross. But, Turner goes further and asks if it is actually possible to produce the type of powerful art he is advocating and then he backs up his arguement with examples.



4. I work with performing artists in the area of healthcare ministry, but I am not an artist myself. Thus, this book has really helped me get out of my self-inflicted box of what I thought "Christian art" and "art by Christians" should look like. The book was recommended to me by the president of the arts ministry agency I serve with, and I would be neglectful if I did not pass the recommendation along. You will not find another book that that is so helpful as you wrestle with where the arts fits with Christianity. What a refreshment Steve Turner has provided. Now, BUY THE BOOK!



5. This book was everything I wanted--excellent writing, super information, and timely! Thanks!! Hope MANY people read this fine piece of work! I am presenting a program on Christianity and the Arts--and this book has been very helpful!

5 comments about Signs and Symbols in Christian Art: With Illustrations from Paintings from the Renaissance (Galaxy Books).

1. When I bought this book, I needed a quick and dirty reference to religious symbolism in western art--I was pleased and surprised to find out that it's small, lightweight, and therefore portable when I visit museums. (Why don't more publishers consider weight and size when they print books for travelers? Lonely Planet and DK, I'm looking at you.)
   
   Its easy size belies the incredible amount of useful information it contains; there are fourteen sections covering everything from the significance of certain animals to religious garments to a brief hagiography for commonly portrayed saints. About one-third of the book is a set of reproductions (sadly b&w in this edition) of famous renaissance religious paintings. There's no discussion or explanation accompanying the paintings--which is the only thing I don't like about the book.
   
   And if you read one of the earlier reviews and are wondering about the chocolate mouse in Rosemary's Baby, it's a reference to mice as a symbol of evil because of their destructiveness.



2. I use this book frequently, especially when studying art books of Christian art as well as during a recent Bible study of the Book of Exodus. This was an invaluable guide to the symbolism used in art and the various meanings. For example, when studying the symbolic meaning of the priests robes of the Old Testament, the meaning of the pomegranate for the OT and NT is significant. In the OT, the pomegranate stood for the 613 Mosaic laws (the pomegranate was thought to contain 613 seeds). In the NT, the pomegranate is the symbol for the resurrection of Christ. The Hebrews believed following the law led them to God. For the Christian, belief in Jesus' death and resurrection leads to God! Enjoy this read.



3. Although not encyclopaedic, this book, first published in 1954, is indispensable to the art history, religious art, iconographic, and religious lives student. The essays are of significant depth without excessive volume, and the illustrations, although of a limited period (Medieval through Renaissance), are pungent enough from which to learn. Two limitation I will remark:
   There are no representations from Eastern- or Byzantine- iconography.
   The illustrations are all black and white.



4. I study Art history, and christian art. This book primarily focuses in on Renaissance paintings and thier symbols. I found it to be useful and detail orientated. A very good reference book.



5. If you are an art history student, this book is an absolute must. While there are many books that contradict one another when it comes to symbolism, this book is one that commonly agrees with others I have read or consulted.
   For as inexpensive as this book is, you cannot afford NOT to get this book!