Florence

Dan Hofstadter

Michael Levey, the eminent British art historian, is among the most learned and eloquent of [Florence's] adoptive citizens. . . [He] is never less than highly companionable. -- Wall Street Journal

George Steiner

Levey's portrayal [of Florence] is that of an eminent art historian elegantly at home in painting, sculpture, and architecture. . . [A] loving, erudite tour. -- New Yorker

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. (Sept.)

Library Journal

"It is deliberately not purely an historical account, nor is it offered as an outline of Florentine art through the ages, and still less is it a guide-book." Well, what is it, then? Written by a past director of the National Gallery in London, this book is almost a personal tour of Florence, providing unusual insights and detail. Written for "the intelligent, interested, general reader" in a scholarly yet sometimes cumbersome style, it meanders through history and art providing the reader with an intimate view of Florentine personalities and environs. As a general overview of Florence's history with an art twist, this source would be an interesting addition to both academic and public libraries, but it is not an essential purchase.Jennifer L.S. Moldwin, Detroit Inst. of Arts Lib.

Kirkus Reviews

Levey, former director of London's National Gallery and a prolific art historian, explores the long history of the fabled city-state of Florence.

Said to have been founded by Julius Caesar, Florence was originally a republic based on the Roman model, made wealthy by the clothmaking trade and Mediterranean commerce. The symbol of Florence, the lily and the lion, denoted a yoking of grace and strength, qualities that would in fact enable the city to survive such calamities as fire, flood, and plague—events vividly described in the author's narrative. During the Renaissance, fervent religious devotion and brilliant artistry, dedicated to such enduring themes as the city's patron saint, John the Baptist, and the Madonna and Child, coexisted with eruptions of violence and long-standing family vendettas, a civil war between the city's Guelph and Ghibelline factions, and the struggle between the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy. Along with the constant maneuvering for power among the city's great families (most notably the Medicis), Levey presents Florence's great achievements in the arts: He believes that the city's visual arts—its architecture, sculpture, and painting—reveal its soul better than any words. Levey pays homage to the great names of Florentine art, including Michelangelo, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Raphael, Fra Angelico, and Giotto, as well as to such great children of Florence as Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Machiavelli, and Galileo. Florence's importance extended into modern times: In 1865, the city was named the capital of a united and revitalized Italy. Levey points out that present-day Florence would still be recognizable to its citizens of the past, and he asserts that one still senses there the contending elements of piety, an appetite for worldly prestige, and a consciousness of the next world, which have been constants in Florence's long history.

A fine achievement. Exceptionally detailed reporting about a fascinating city.