Michelangelo

Children's Literature

"People most often remember Michelangelo for the project he hated most—the Sistine Chapel frescoes." With that thought, Barbara Somervill begins the story of Michelangelo's life—his belief that painting was not true art, that with his chisel he could release a figure from the marble that surrounded it. A good typeface, large margins and frequent illustrations contribute to a biography that is both easy and interesting to read. Michelangelo becomes a human being—a man who complains about work he does not like, frequently takes on more projects than he can finish, and when he finally had to paint the Sistine Chapel at the request of the Pope—wished that he had listened more carefully to the drawing lessons he took as a young apprentice. There is a visual timeline relating events in Michelangelo's life to world events, so that it is possible see that Michelangelo was sculpting his David at the same time Leonard da Vinci was painting the Mona Lisa. There is a brief "life at a glance" table, additional resources (books, websites and museums) as well as a short glossary, source notes and a good index. This is part of the "Signature Lives—Renaissance Era" series. 2005, Compass Point Books, Ages 10 to 15.
—Karen Leggett