The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects
Giorgio Vasari (1511–74) was himself a painter and architect, yet it's this remarkable collection of artistic biographies that secured his lasting place in history. First published in Florence in 1550, the book drew on a rich tradition of biographical writing, but Vasari brought something distinctly his own to it: a sharp, critical eye that felt startlingly modern for its time. The result became the bedrock of art historical study, and it remains so today. Spanning the thirteenth century right through to Vasari's own era, the book brings to life an extraordinary cast of figures, among them Giotto, Brunelleschi, Mantegna, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Titian. You'll find not just biographical detail but a genuine sense of personality, rivalry, and creative obsession. This Modern Library edition is abridged from the original text and enriched with notes drawing on both earlier commentaries and more recent scholarship. For anyone with a serious interest in Renaissance art, it's simply required reading.
- Author: Giorgio Vasari
- Publisher: Modern Library
- Genre: Photography
- ISBN: 978-0375760365
- Pages: 640 pages