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manoushp109's review against another edition
read a few for class - michelangelo, donatello(?), leonardo, raphael, caravaggio, titian - was silly w the stories and easy to read but would never read on my own
casparb's review against another edition
almost too much to talk abt ,, such a perfect piece of textual history too? This feels like the sort of lost text that scholars dream of. but it's real! Vasari is ofc not exactly an objective source but it's really enjoyable sensing how committed he feels to providing INFORMAtIOn, rather than developing some sort of 16th century burn book ..
the text kind of slides & builds towards, Michelangelo,,, Vasari's teacher. At this point it's somewhere between a love letter and hagiography but it doesn't feel sycophantic . maybe it approaches accuracy.
somebody here points out that our relationship with this text is transformed by being able to google the artworks he's talking about. this is true
the text kind of slides & builds towards, Michelangelo,,, Vasari's teacher. At this point it's somewhere between a love letter and hagiography but it doesn't feel sycophantic . maybe it approaches accuracy.
somebody here points out that our relationship with this text is transformed by being able to google the artworks he's talking about. this is true
wooknight's review against another edition
5.0
A wondrous odyssey through the renaissance guided by one of its luminaries !! What else could one ask for ? well I for one would like a lot of time to be able to actually wander through Florence as Vasari guides us from masterpieces to masterpiece , from master to master .
mzlzee15's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
2.0
Informative reference. Anecdotal. Tedious read.
shanshanshannon's review against another edition
2.0
This was a tough, long book clearly written in the 16th century. I understand its importance and even laughed a few times. I would not recommend reading it from beginning to end like I did. Instead, skip to the chapters of the artists you want to better understand.
tufriel's review against another edition
4.0
The book is written in storytelling mode with a friendly, familiar tone when discussing artists that the author shared a friendship with. At times a little gossipy and sometimes draggy when he went into raptures about an artist's talent or a particular piece. Overall, an informative book that I wish I'd known about and read before visiting Italy.
I wish the book included pictures of the paintings, sculptures and other artwork that it referred to even though that probably would have tripled its size. More than ever, it makes me want to view the art that survived today in person now that I know some of the history behind the piece and the painter.
The author was also the architect of the Vasari Corridor at the Uffizi Gallery which was featured in Dan Brown's Inferno (and was also the reason I visited it). That, I think, makes it all the more interesting.
I wish the book included pictures of the paintings, sculptures and other artwork that it referred to even though that probably would have tripled its size. More than ever, it makes me want to view the art that survived today in person now that I know some of the history behind the piece and the painter.
The author was also the architect of the Vasari Corridor at the Uffizi Gallery which was featured in Dan Brown's Inferno (and was also the reason I visited it). That, I think, makes it all the more interesting.
amberhayward's review against another edition
4.0
I read most of this when I was in college, studying art history. For fun. And maybe to impress my professor because I was taking a survey course of Italian Renaissance art.
I got the 4 volume set from the library and read the whole first volume, parts of the 2nd and 3rd and the pretty much all of volume 4 which was almost entirely about Michelangelo because Vasari was one of his BFF's.
It's fun if you're into art history or if you're interested in totally non-objective information on art and artists.
I got the 4 volume set from the library and read the whole first volume, parts of the 2nd and 3rd and the pretty much all of volume 4 which was almost entirely about Michelangelo because Vasari was one of his BFF's.
It's fun if you're into art history or if you're interested in totally non-objective information on art and artists.
zzt's review against another edition
3.0
My edition of the Lives is no longer in print but this is a good translation and is worth reading by anyone interested in Renaissance art and politics. Vasari is deservedly the most famous writer on art and his contemporaries read and find some Italian art and understand the works.