Florence: A Portrait [Hardcover]

Michael Levey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1996

Nestled in the Apennines, cradle of the Renaissance, home of Dante, Michelangelo, and the Medici, Florence is unlike any other city in its extraordinary mingling of great art and literature, natural splendor, and remarkable history. Intimate and grand, learned and engaging, Michael Levey's Florence renders the city in all of its madness and magnificence.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The usual tourist group's stay in Florence begins with the Duomo, runs through the paintings in the Uffizi, includes a visit to Michaelangelo's "David" and ends with a parade through a handful of churches. But the visitor who first reads Sir Michael Levey's portrait of the city will find rewards off that well-worn track. The city, a self-styled "new Athens" supported a wealth of artists, sculptors, humanists, and scholars, not to mention more than its share of wealthy individuals, who taken together, helped turn Florence into one of the world's great provincial outposts. Layering telling details, little-known facts and carefully explained social and intellectual history, Levey weaves a dense tale of this charming city, from the Middle Ages to the Quattrocento, through the Renaissance and on up to the early years of this century.

From Publishers Weekly

Starting with the early Renaissance and continuing into the 19th century, Levey has amassed an admirable trove of material about one of the world's most beguiling cities. Levey, former director of London's National Gallery and author of Early Renaissance, understandably focuses on art and architectural history, adding periodic updates on the political goings-on during each of the periods covered. The chapter on early-14th century Florence, for instance, describes the striking buildings of the time (including many towers used as prisons) and the city's increasing organization into various districts before moving on to greater detail on certain important works of art, such as Andrea Orcagna's Orsanmichele tabernacle and Andrea Pisano's bronze doors. Some of the writing about art becomes numbing, not because of Levey's style but because in an attempt to reflect the volume of art produced in Florence, he covers so much of it. There's little about the daily life of normal Florentines here, and sometimes too much space is dedicated to events like the return of the Medici Pope Leo X. An entire chapter is devoted to "Triumphal Entries and Fatal Exits," which, following more strictly chronological chapters on the Florence of Lorenzo de' Medici and of Savonarola, seems an awkward attempt to cover certain works he is loathe to leave out. If at times the detail overwhelms the big picture, the 150 illustrations (50 in color) and Levey's excellent artistic counsel make this a worthy guide for anyone seriously seeking Florence.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press; 2nd edition (September 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674306570
• ISBN-13: 978-0674306578
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #576,695 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much More Than a Parlor Table Book, August 2, 2005

By 

Karim Bey "sierrarancher" (Squaw Valley, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Florence: A Portrait (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful, "behind-the-scenes" history of Art and Life in Florence during its Golden Period. Levey has synthesized historical and personal accounts of the period and it results in a Historical text which is very readable. He gives life to the great artists of the time and some of the 'dirt' too. Levey not only discusses the achievements of the Masters with authority, but also provides interesting background information, including motives, jealousies, intrigue and favoritism. Despite its weight, this is THE travelogue on Florence I will take with me.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Florence at its best, March 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Florence: A Portrait (Hardcover)

This book gives the reader a history of Florence through its art. Naturally, the Florence in the time of the Renaissance is covered at length, but Levey doesn't stop there. He gives lots of insight into the patronage of art in succeeding periods. Levey's portrait of Florence is also a portrait of the Medici family and their artistic legacy to the city.

While this book might be too hefty and too heady for the casual italophile, it should be in the library of every hard-core Italy lover.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Journey, November 3, 2006

By 

Antoinette King (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Florence: A Portrait (Paperback)

It is as though we are moving through the streets of Florence with Mr. Levey at our side telling us fascinating stories about the people and places of the city by the Arno. Anyone with an interest in Florence will find this volume a wonderful companion to the larger histories and art books. We are the beneficiaries of the author's lifetime of experience and understanding in the matters of the Renaissance and its center, Florence. Highly recommended.