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Overview
Michelangelo Buonarroti, sculptor, painter, architect, and poet, is one of the greatest artists of all time. In the fifteenth century, when he was born, artists were considered merely workmen. Michelangelo's contributions changed the way both art and the artist were seen. The great works he created earned him a reputation as a genius and inspired generations of artists. His artistic triumphs, which are considered monuments of Western art, never fail to amaze.Editorials
Children's Literature
Like a World Almanac, this biography packs as much information as possible into every page, column, and box. In fact, it is too much information to be easily read or absorbed. The type size for sidebar information (the town of Florence, timelines on each page, discussion of humanism) is discouragingly tiny. The entire Sistine Chapel and its mapped diagram are both squeezed onto a single page. The encyclopedic writing style and difficult narrative flow will discourage browsing. The reproductions of Michelangelo's work, however, are outstanding, both sculpture and painting. Unfortunately, the reproduction on the opening page of the Table of Contents shows a grim soul from the Last Judgment—which may not encourage young people to turn the page. However, the quality and number of the reproductions, the glossary and the index make the book worthy of consideration as a library reference book. 2004, World Almanac Library, Ages 10 to 15.—Karen Leggett
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Each of these tall, slender volumes packs in many fascinating details about the artist and the times in which he lived. Topical spreads include a clearly written introductory paragraph, several captioned photos and reproductions, a running chronology, and numerous supplementary explanations and sidebars. With this format, it is at times difficult to take in the overwhelming amount of material. The first book offers information about da Vinci's work as a great painter, sculptor, scientist, and engineer. Michelangelo, a painter who preferred to be known as a sculptor, was also an architect and poet. The many color reproductions of the artists' works and modern drawings are as informative as the texts. These titles would make interesting browsing material for students needing extra sources for biographical reports. Robin Richmond's Introducing Michelangelo (Chrysalis, 2002) is easier to read but does not contain as many details. Richard B. McLanathan's Leonardo Da Vinci (Abrams, 1990) is a much smoother read, as is Diane Stanley's Leonardo da Vinci (HarperCollins, 1996).-Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.Book Details
Published
January 1, 2004
Publisher
Milwaukee, WI : Gareth Stevens Publishing/World Almanac Library, 2004.
Pages
48
Format
Library Binding
ISBN
9780836856002