Gigante [Hardcover]

Anton Gill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2002

This text tells the interwoven stories of the twelve critical years Florenced experienced at the turn of the 15th century, and of the great statue that grew out of the turmoil of those years, and came to be the symbol of the city forever more. "David" was Michelangelo's only colossus; but anyone who was anyone in the Renaissance lived between about 1450 and 1550; and most of them were Florentines; and most were in Florence in 1500 when the sculptor set to work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

British Praise for Il Gigante:

"There is certainly nothing rushed about this excellent account of the world's greatest sculptor... Through Gill's sensitive and accessible reading of the David in particular we can perhaps feel a little closer to [Michelangelo]... It would be well-deserved if this book is as successful as those by [Dava] Sobel and [Ross] King - Gill is a perceptive and accessible critic" - Sunday Herald

"A few pages into Anton Gill's new book and any readers who have never seen a Renaissance painting or sculpture will be packing their bags and heading for Italy. Not a page goes by without the excitement and drama of this period catching at your imagination... A compelling story that is well told." - Country Living

"Gill's project may be ambitious, but his style and approach are aimed firmly at the general reader. In this he succeeds admirably and as an introduction to the Italian Renaissance Il Gigante could hardly be bettered." - Daily Mail

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

British Praise for Il Gigante:

"There is certainly nothing rushed about this excellent account of the world's greatest sculptor... Through Gill's sensitive and accessible reading of the David in particular we can perhaps feel a little closer to [Michelangelo]... It would be well-deserved if this book is as successful as those by [Dava] Sobel and [Ross] King - Gill is a perceptive and accessible critic" - Sunday Herald

"A few pages into Anton Gill's new book and any readers who have never seen a Renaissance painting or sculpture will be packing their bags and heading for Italy. Not a page goes by without the excitement and drama of this period catching at your imagination... A compelling story that is well told." - Country Living

"Gill's project may be ambitious, but his style and approach are aimed firmly at the general reader. In this he succeeds admirably and as an introduction to the Italian Renaissance Il Gigante could hardly be bettered." - Daily Mail --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Review (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747235759
• ISBN-13: 978-0747235750
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,130,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent., September 11, 2006

By 

John David Olsen (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Il Gigante: Michelangelo, Florence, and the David 1492--1504 (Hardcover)

I was on the east coast of the U.S., on Cape Cod, several years ago, making my way to Florence for a week. This was to be my first trip to Florence [though not to Italy]. I was trying to decide on a good book to read while in Florence, just as I happened by a local little bookstore on the street in which I was walking. As I glanced in the window, there was Anton Gill's "Il Gigante."

At that moment I had no doubt that this was the book for me to read on my Italian excursion.

I read Gill's book as I was walking the streets of Florence, able to sit in a square upon which Michelangelo once strode, visit the many churches in which he worked, and sit for an afternoon in the Acdemia where `David' now resides.

I found Anton gill's book to be full of fascinating details not only about Michelangelo, but about the creation of art in the early renaissance. Intermingled with stories about Michelangelo's `David' there are tales of politics and rivalries, patrons and intrigue. It was incredible to be able to read about the history of Michelangelo's commission's as I was viewing them with my own eyes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and I would highly recommend reading it while in a café on the streets of Florence.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice cover poor contents, November 19, 2003

By 

R. Scholten (Den Haag Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Il Gigante: Michelangelo, Florence, and the David 1492--1504 (Hardcover)

This book tells us about almost everything but little about the David.
The author has selected info from various books and tells well known stories.
Very disappointing

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not really informative, February 4, 2011

By 

C. D. Olsen "toshirodragon" (Ogden, Ut United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Il Gigante: Michelangelo, Florence, and the David 1492-1504 (Paperback)

Anton Gil's style of writing is rather purple and full of dripping fanboyism. I was somewhat put off by his casual dismissal of women and changing attitudes towards their clothing and appearance in his rush to gush on Il Magnifico. His constant denigration of the Middle Ages and comparison of the Renaissance to the rising sun became tedious and annoying.

It takes Gil 75 pages to even get to the birth of Michelangelo: a good third of the book spent extolling the virtues of the Medicis. Sadly I think he fell into the pit of wanting to write about someone about whom there is not much extant information on. Consequently the book drifts into long tangents on other people and Cliffs Notes views of the politics of the time.

It's a good read and a page turner but is it history? I don't think so...