Michelangelo: The Vatican Frescoes [Hardcover]

Pierluigi De Vecchi (Author), Gianluigi Colalucci (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1997

Originally painted by Michelangelo in the late 1400s, the Vatican's Sistine Chapel frescoes were painstakingly restored between 1981 and 1995, provoking great controversy. Michelangelo's original task hard required him to construct elaborate scaffolding and to spend years of his life lying on his back to pain the ceiling; the restoration was no less difficult. For centuries dust and soot had obscured the brilliance of the frescoes' coloration, the intricacy of their detail, and the eloquence of their design. Now, however, every lunette, every ceiling fresco, and the magnificent just-restored Last Judgment can be seen in a new light in the full-color illustrations of this exciting book. Each New and Old Testament scene is identified and explained in great detail, with investigations into the evolution of their designs. Photographs and descriptions of the restoration process will prove endlessly fascinating, and the insights of the project's technical overseer provide readers with an inside look at the past, present, and future of the Sistine Chapel.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The restoration of Michelangelo's magnificent frescoes in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel stirred up much controversy and debate among scholars, art historians, and art lovers alike. Originally painted in the late 15th century, it took restorers 14 painstaking years (from 1981 to 1995) to remove the centuries' worth of dust and decay that had obscured the frescoes' brilliant colors and intricate designs. In 250 gorgeous full-color photographs, this unique and beautiful volume presents Michelangelo's restored chapel--perhaps the greatest masterpiece of Renaissance art--in its entirety, from the Creation to the Last Judgment, both before and after cleaning. The only definitive study of the restoration process, this book is the next best thing to actually being there.

Review

. . . excellent . . . the most complete [book] on the restored frescoes, and the first to include the refurbished Last Judgment behind the altar. . . . The art book of the year. -- San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/23/97

[A] gorgeous, lush tome with more than 250 color photographs-including before and after photos-that richly convey that delicacy of the master's work. -- USA Today, 2/20/97

[T]his unique volume presents the restored Sistine Chapel in its entirety, from the Creation to the Last Judgment, and features remarkable new pictures of the frescoes. . . . This beautiful lavish work will be enjoyed by both those who have been fortunate enough to have seen the chapel in person, as well as interested readers who haven't. -- Antique & Auction News, 5/9/97

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 271 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789201429
• ISBN-13: 978-0789201423
• Product Dimensions: 13.4 x 10.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,695 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reproductions and very good text -- Truly Majestic, January 7, 2001

By 

Dan Sherman (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Michelangelo: The Vatican Frescoes (Hardcover)

This is an absolutely superb book, largely because the reproductions of the frescoes are excellent and really capture the colors that you see when you visit the Chapel. I have found many art books disappointing, because they simply fail to capture the works they present. I first saw this book in an American bookstore after visiting the Sistine Chapel, and really thrilled to see if after looking at several other books where colors were much duller and the images simply not as sharp. In addition to its fine colors, the book provides many fine closeups of each individual section. The text is also very good, describing the subjects of the painting, the history behind the paintings, ansd also the recent restorstion. This is a must-have book!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost like being there!, March 16, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (NC, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Michelangelo: The Vatican Frescoes (Hardcover)

Ive seen portions of the old paintings in other publications, but there's nothing like this VERY COLLECTIBLE piece. Its a treasure, because of the painstaking care in preserving the original authenticity of the works, and allowing you to closely examine the "before" detail, and then the "after" restoration detail. Most of all, the book allowed me to gain an appreciation that I never had for this great artist. Thanks

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensible resource of great art., December 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Michelangelo: The Vatican Frescoes (Hardcover)

The scope of this edition is astounding. With closeups of each individual section and a glorious 4-page foldout of the entire ceiling, all the majesty of Michelangelo's masterpiece is brought breathtakingly to life. If you can't afford to fly to Italy to see the original, buy this book.