The Lives of the Artists (Oxford World's Classics)

These biographies of the great quattrocento artists have long been considered among the most important of contemporary sources on Italian Renaissance art. Vasari, who invented the term "Renaissance," was the first to outline the influential theory of Renaissance art that traces a progression through Giotto, Brunelleschi, and finally the titanic figures of Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, and Raphael. This new translation, specially commissioned for the World's Classics series, contains thirty-six of the most important lives and is fully annotated. Packed With Facts, Attributions, And Entertaining Anecdotes About His Contemporaries, Vasari's Collection Of Biographical Accounts Also Presents A Highly Influential Theory Of The Development Of Renaissance Art. Beginning With Cimabue And Giotto, Who Represent The Infancy Of Art, Vasari Considers The Period Of Youthful Vigour, Shaped By Donatello, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, And Masaccio, Before Discussing The Mature Period Of Perfection, Dominated By The Titanic Figures Of Leonardo, Raphael, And Michelangelo. This Specially Commissioned Translation Contains Thirty-six Of The Most Important Lives As Well As An Introduction And Explanatory Notes. - ;packed With Facts, Attributions, And Entertaining Anecdotes About His Contemporaries, Vasari's Collection Of Biographical Accounts Also Presents A Highly Influential Theory Of The Development Of Renaissance Art. Beginning With Cimabue And Giotto, Who Represent The Infancy Of Art, Vasari Considers The Period Of Youthful Vigour, Shaped By Donatello, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, And Masaccio, Before Discussing The Mature Period Of Perfection, Dominated By The Titanic Figures Of Leonardo, Raphael, And Michelangelo. This Specially Commissioned Translation Contains Thirty-six Of The Most Important Lives As Well As An Introduction And Explanatory Notes. - ;includes: Cimabue; Giotto; Duccio; Luca Della Robbia; Paolo Uccello; Ghiberti; Masaccio; Filippo Brunelleschi; Donatello; Piero Della Francesca; Fra Angelico; Fra Filippo Lippi; Domenico Ghirlandaio; Sandro Botticelli; Andrea Del Verrocchio; Mantegna; Leonardo Da Vinci; Giorgione; Raphael; Titian; Michelangelo - Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 8 Note on the Translation......Page 16 Select Bibliography......Page 19 A Chronology of Giorgio Vasari......Page 22 PART ONE......Page 28 Preface to the Lives......Page 30 Cimabue......Page 34 Giotto......Page 42 Simone Martini......Page 64 Duccio......Page 70 PART TWO......Page 72 Preface to Part Two......Page 74 Jacopo della Quercia......Page 86 Luca della Robbia......Page 93 Paolo Uccello......Page 101 Ghiberti......Page 111 Masaccio......Page 128 Filippo Brunelleschi......Page 137 Donatello......Page 174 Piero della Francesca......Page 190 Fra Angelico......Page 196 Leon Battista Alberti......Page 205 Antonello da Messina......Page 212 Fra Filippo Lippi......Page 218 Andrea del Castagno and Domenico Veneziano......Page 228 Domenico Ghirlandaio......Page 237 Sandro Botticelli......Page 251 Andrea del Verrocchio......Page 259 Mantegna......Page 269 Pinturicchio......Page 277 Perugino......Page 283 Luca Signorelli......Page 295 PART THREE......Page 302 Preface to Part Three......Page 304 Leonardo da Vinci......Page 311 Giorgione......Page 326 Raphael......Page 332 Properzia de' Rossi......Page 366 Rosso Fiorentino......Page 372 Giulio Romano......Page 386 Domenico Beccafumi......Page 404 Jacopo da Pontormo......Page 421 Michelangelo......Page 441 Titian......Page 516 The Author: To Artists of the Art of Design......Page 536 Explanatory Notes......Page 539 Packed with facts, attributions, and entertaining anecdotes about his contemporaries, Giorgio Vasari's collection of biographical accounts also presents a highly influential theory of the development of Renaissance art. Beginning with Cimabue and Giotto, who represent the infancy of art, Vasari considers the period of youthful vigour, shaped by Donatello, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, and Masaccio, before discussing the mature period of perfection, dominated by the titanic figures of Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo. This specially commissioned translation contains thirty-six of the most important lives as well as an introduction and explanatory notes. About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. In his Lives of the Artists of the Italian Renaissance, Vasari demonstrated a literary talent that outshone even his outstanding abilities as a painter and architect. Through character sketches and anecdotes he depicts Piero di Cosimo shut away in his derelict house, living only to paint; Giulio Romano's startling painting of Jove striking down the giants; and his friend Francesco Salviati, whose biography also tells us much about Vasari's own early career. Vasari's original and soaring vision plus his acute aesthetic judgements have made him one of the most influential art historians of all time. Containing facts, attributions, and anecdotes about his contemporaries, Vasari's collection of biographical accounts also presents an influential theory of the development of Renaissance art. This translation contains 36 of the most important lives as well as an introduction and explanatory notes A contemporary biography of Italian Renaissance artists by Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) translated from Italian