Michelangelo

Accessible to readers-useful to specialistsMuch has been written on Michelangelo. By 1970, the number of scholarly books and articles exceeded 4,000, approximately a tenth in English. In the past 25 years, the literature has grown exponentially, with a notable increase in English-language publications. This five-volume series reproduces some 100 articles in English, selected from a broad range of books and journals. The collection is both accessible to the general reader and useful to the specialist, offering a representative sample of old and new commentary on the artist and his work.

Close to 100 photographs in each volumeThis collection also presents the artwork which illustrated the books and articles from which it is drawn-some 500 black-and-white photographs in all.

Offer scholarship and creative thinkingThese volumes introduce the reader to a wide range of scholarship and some of the best minds in the discipline, including Johannes Wilde, Erwin Panofsky, Charles de Tolnay, Rudolf Wittkower, Edgar Wind, and James Ackerman. The volumes offer easy access to an immense and widely scattered literature, much of it difficult to locate. The collection will be especially useful to scholars, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates. As journals become prohibitively expensive, and as materials are increasingly moved to storage facilities, this collection will prove a welcome addition to general and specialized art libraries.

The career of a geniusArticles are arranged chronologically with separate volumes covering the artist's early life and works, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, commissions associated with San Lorenzo, the tomb of Julius II and other Roman projects, and a final volume devoted to drawings, poetry, and miscellaneous studies. Spanning his entire 89-year life, the articles explore Michelangelo's prodigious creativity as an artist, thinker, and poet. The sheer quantity of what has been written on Michelangelo can be intimidating; most students have little sense of how to approach or effectively utilize the vast literature. By presenting a varied introduction to a great artist, this collection is a handy reference tool for a wide array of topics, problems, and literature. Individual volumes available:

Vol. 1 Life and Early Works
544 pages, ISBN 0-8153-1823-5

Vol. 2 The Sistine Chapel
616 pages, ISBN 0-8153-1825-1

Vol. 3 San Lorenzo
496 pages, ISBN0-8153-1826-X

Vol. 4 Tomb of Julius II and Other Works in Rome
488 pages, ISBN 0-8153-1827-8

Vol. 5 Drawings, Poetry, and Miscellaneous Studies472 pages, ISBN 0-8153-1826-8

These selected writings on "the divine one" (1475-1564) are divided into those on his life and early works, the Sistine ceiling, his years in Florence (1516-34), in Rome (1534-64), and on his drawings, poetry, and miscellany. Topics include David's scowl, a re-reading of the Sistine ceiling, M's political opinions, the Medici Chapel, the Last Judgment, M's theory of architecture, his unfinished work, and many others (35 essays in all). Throughout are scattered lesser-quality b&w reproductions, and there is no information on contributors (Panofsky and Pater are the most famous), no index, and little introduction. The book looks like a compilation of photocopies of original articles, much like a course reader a professor had assembled at the copy shop, albeit without the spiral binding. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Booknews

One hundred articles, selected from the vast amount of writing about Michelangelo, are arranged in five volumes, which are available as a set or separately. The collection is both accessible to the general reader and useful to the specialist, offering a sampling of old and new commentary on the artist and his work. V.1, Life and Early Works (0-8153-1823-5, $95) begins with overviews of Michelangelo's life and work and also contains more focused essays on his political thought and his chief biographers, as well as surveys of his early career and some principal works (including the Rome Pieta and the David. The other volumes are as follows: v.2: The Sistine Chapel (1825-1, $95); v.3: San Lorenzo (1826-X, $95), covering his mid-career, between 1515 and 1534; v.4: Tomb of Julius II and Other Works in Rome (1827-8, $90); and v.5: Drawings, Poetry, and Miscellaneous Studies (1828-6, $90). The articles are reproduced from various sources, and some are in reduced type that is not kind on the eyes. B&w photos are included in each volume. Unfortunately, neither the individual volumes nor the set as a whole is indexed. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)