Most helpful customer reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A must for art lovers., Aug 27 2001
Having never been particularly understood the significance of Michelangelo¡s ¡§David,¡ I went to Academy in Florence, Italy. And there it stood in front of me in all its glory. Standing underneath him, I was awed. Humbled by its beauty, its perfection, and I felt this urge to¡§touch¡ his flesh. Yet, in my mind I realized it was ¡§only¡ stone. Irving Welsh¡s novel gives you the scope, the span, and the historical context of the creation of Michelangelo¡s work. The story behind one man¡s devotion to the art in a time of political turmoil, warring states, insurrections by fanatical monks, and power struggles within and outside the Vatican. From this book, not only do you learn about Michelangelo¡s work and his inspiration, but also, how art was perceived and created at the time in the Renaissance. The personalities involved; Da Vinci, Raphael, and the feuds and forgiveness that went on between them. You will also by default learn about the history and geography of Italy and why, such a small city state of Florence could give the world such a disproportionate number of Great artists and thinkers. This book is a work on its own. As part of the research for this book, Irving Stone commissioned a professor in University of California, Los Angeles, to translate Michelangelo¡s letters into English, with which he based the novel. The content of some of these letters are thus published in the English language for the first time. It¡s magnificent that as a companion to this great novel, we can now have a chance as readers of English to read Michelangelo¡s own words. Thank you, Mr. Stone. Furthermore, in the back of the novel is the complete listing of where Michelangelo¡s work is situated today and was extremely useful as I was able to appreciate some of his lesser known works. Truly this is a brilliant historical and biographical novel and a great resource about the country and her art of the time. The only thing I thought would have improved it, was Michaelangelo himself, his character, is belief did not change much through the years, and I would have liked to seem more "character development." The man cannot be the same from the day he was 9 til his death. But one small word of caution, Michelangelo¡s life is full of -in every sense of the words- ¡§agony and ecstasy¡ with a leaning towards the "agony". It is a heavy going book, as beautiful as it is.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Captures the Spirit of an Artist, Aug 23 2001
One of the best biographical novels produced, author Stone does a tremendous job of capturing the life of Michelangelo. Born into a family that has seen better times, Michelangelo is eager to pursue a living as a sculptor. However, any work, no matter how creative or artistic, is seen as ï¿manualï¿ labor. He defies his father and at age 13 becomes an apprentice to a fresco painter. The scene where Michelangelo realizes that not only can he not afford to pay his teacher but must ask for pay is a strong indication of the character of the artist. His determination to overcome the obstacles set by his family enable him to achieve his dreams. His obsession with his work and the total lack of material wants exhibited by the artist also single him out, even compared to others in his day in age.Author Stone moves quickly through the events in his long life, from his work as a young teenager for Lorenzo de Medici (ï¿the Magnificentï¿), to his first sculptures. His work on the Pieta and David while still a man in his early twenties is astonishing. It is pointed out several times in the book that sculpture such as Michelangelo created had not been attempted since the times of the Greeks and Romans. While trained as a painter, his true love was marble. However, when the Pope request the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel be painted by Michelangelo, he reacts as always, ready to give it only his best, since nothing else would suffice. After the creation of the Sistine Chapel masterpiece, his life becomes mired in political conflict, which causes his art to suffer. While still creating masterpieces, such as the tomb for Pope Julius II and his other fresco masterpiece, The Last Judgement, the remainder of his years are spent on fruitless tasks, such as developing ways to quarry marble, etc. I would recommend this book highly to anyone with an interest in the arts, especially one of the great masters. Michelangeloï¿s private and artistic life are both fully explored and leave the reader with a greater understanding of the time period.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspiration, Jul 28 2001
Any artist of any kind will gain insight into the artistic process. Stone systematically catalogues the possible thoughts and questions of the Master as each of his works of art came into being. The origins of Genesis, David, the Pieta, the Last Judgment, St. Peter's ... all of it is laid bare. Even if you're not an artist or art buff, the development of the protagonist's multi-layered charater and the characters of his Renaissance contemporaries is fascinating. Stone crafts the perfect portrait of the greatest artist (and one of the most fascinating people) or all time.
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