The Sistine Chapel: A Glorious Restoration [Hardcover]

Michael Hirst (Author), Carlo Pietrangeli (Author, Editor), Gianluigi Colalucci (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1994

Michelangelo's creation of the monumental frescos in the Sistine Chapel marked a revolutionary event in Western art. Now, another revolutionary event has occurred: a nine-year restoration, carried out by experts at the Vatican Museums and described and illustrated in this incredible work. 312 illustrations, 293 in full color; gatefold.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Completed earlier this year, the lengthy and painstaking restoration of Michelangelo's 16th-century frescoes in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel removed layers of soot, varnish and grime, revealing his hidden intents, clarity of form and harmonious color schemes. Featuring nearly 300 color photographs by Takashi Okamura, this impressive album documents the restored ceiling and wall frescoes--depicting biblical scenes, the prophets and sibyls and the Last Judgment --in all their primordial force. Specialized, academic essays by 10 Italian, British and American art historians, curators and restorers investigate the construction of the Chapel over a medieval building on the same site, Michelangelo's preparatory drawings, his use of color, the sources of imagery for the costumes worn by the Ancestors of Christ, etc. Hirst is professor of art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The imprecise title of this splendidly illustrated volume on the recent unveiling of Michelangelo's restored Last Judgment should not be allowed to misdirect the potential reader as to its content. With minimal exception, its subject is the aesthetic miracle called back to life by the restoration of Michelangelo's ceiling fresco. Complementing the many excellent reproductions are apposite fragments of biblical text, a 16th-century commentary on the work, and pithy iconographical observations. The text itself consists of nine scholarly essays engendered in part by the revelation of the restored masterwork. In addition to those studies focusing on various technical and documentary aspects of the chapel and its paintings, others provide real-if not always pellucid-insights into the artist's figurative language and his achievement as a colorist. The quality and quantity of the illustrations alone, however, are sufficient to warrant recommendation to all fine arts collections.
Robert Cahn, Fashion Inst. of Technology, New York
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Abradale Press Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers (April 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810938405
• ISBN-13: 978-0810938403
• Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 10 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #459,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Many photos of the restored frescoes in great detail with fine articles, February 22, 2006

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Sistine Chapel: A Glorious Restoration (Hardcover)

The huge project of the cleaning and restoration of the Sistine chapel has been completed for more than decade (of course it is continuous and ongoing). It was a huge project that aroused fiery controversy. Even though the ceiling had become almost completely obscured by centuries of smoke and repeated applications of varnish (early attempts to protect the treasured frescoes), some felt strongly that the restoration proposed would ruin the ceiling. In one way, it does make sense that the ceiling that generations had known was the work then on display. The yellowed color scheme and dark views were all that anyone living and the generations previous had known.

This book does not document the ceiling as it was, but does provide wonderful detail of how the process of restoration was decided upon, what was done, what was learned during the process, and page after page of glorious pictures of the frescoes. The articles are by well qualified scholars and discuss quite interesting aspects of the works including the use of assistants by Michelangelo, his colors and their use, those poses and clothing of the characters, the chapel itself, and much more. There is even a foldout section to see the entire ceiling.

This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in understanding the Sistine Chapel as it exists today. You can easily find pictures on the web contrasting how it used to look with how it looks today. To me, it seems obvious how wonderfully the restoration was done and how necessary it was. However, I can see how some would feel a sense of loss that what they had known for generations is now gone.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book, March 27, 2000

By 

Devin Smith (Wendell, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sistine Chapel: A Glorious Restoration (Hardcover)

As a student with two jobs I do not have much time for art. Recently I have taken an interest in the classics. I was at a bookstore one day and this book caught my eye:

The work of Michelangelo is wonderful. This book really brings to life this masters artwork in a way that is beautiful and breathtaking. The part I love most about this book is that before and after pictures are shown of Michelangelo's work (pre and post restoration). It really brings vibrant life and color to work that seems sometimes to be forgotten. Also lots of people think that Michelangelo was not very creative in his color usage, after seeing this book, you will truly see that he is a GENIUS. Even if you are not into art...this book will make you see art and especially Michelangelo in a different way. Get this book. You will not regret it.