jjares reviewed Michelangelo Buonarroti: A Life From Beginning to End (Biographies of Painters) on + 3270 more book reviews
After reading several other Hourly History books about famous painters, this one lacks the depth of many of the others (particularly Renoir). This is just a flat retelling of Michaelangelo's life, with little info about his relationships and possible rivalry with da Vinci. I was disappointed.
After reading this, I have no more idea about what drove the man to create his masterpieces. It is a marvel that Michaelangelo finished the Sistine Chappel in only 4 years! One of the more interesting aspects of this book was the high degree of instability in the city-states of Italy at the time. It is surprising to see how many popes Michaelangelo outlived and served. In the end, Rome and Florence fought over his body so friends smuggled his body out of Rome, so he could be interred where he wanted, in Florence with his family. Overall score = G+.
After reading this, I have no more idea about what drove the man to create his masterpieces. It is a marvel that Michaelangelo finished the Sistine Chappel in only 4 years! One of the more interesting aspects of this book was the high degree of instability in the city-states of Italy at the time. It is surprising to see how many popes Michaelangelo outlived and served. In the end, Rome and Florence fought over his body so friends smuggled his body out of Rome, so he could be interred where he wanted, in Florence with his family. Overall score = G+.
