Synopses & Reviews
A painter and architect in his own right, Giorgio Vasari (1511-74) achieved immortality for this book on the lives of his fellow Renaissance artists, first published in Florence in 1550. Although he based his work on a long tradition of biographical writing, Vasari infused these literary portraits with a decidedly modern form of critical judgment. The result is a work that remains to this day the cornerstone of art historical scholarship.
Spanning the period from the thirteenth century to Vasaris own time, the Lives opens a window on the greatest personalities of the period, including Giotto, Brunelleschi, Mantegna, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Titian. This Modern Library edition, abridged from the original text with notes drawn from earlier commentaries, as well as current research, reminds us why The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects is indispensable to any student interested in Renaissance art.
Synopsis
The first comprehensive history ever written of the greatest period of the world's art, in the highly lauded de Vere translation, this edition is the most comprehensive and up-to-date one-volume abridged edition available.
About the Author
Philip Jacks, a leading scholar of the Italian Renaissance, is Associate Professor of Fine Arts and Art History at George Washington University and the author of several books. He also edited Vasaris Florence: Artists and Literati at the Medicean Court.