The Collector of Lives: Giorgio Vasari and the Invention of Art

by Ingrid D. Rowland

Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) was a man of many talents - a sculptor, painter, architect, writer, and scholar - but he is best known for Lives of the Artists, which singlehandedly established the canon of Italian Renaissance art. Before Vasari's extraordinary book, art was considered a technical skill, and artists were mere decorators and craftsmen. It was through Vasari's visionary writings that Raphael, Leonardo, and Michelangelo came to be regarded as great masters of life as well as art, their creative genius celebrated as a divine gift.

Lauded by Sarah Bakewell as "insightful, gripping, and thoroughly enjoyable", The Collector of Lives reveals how one Renaissance scholar completely redefined how we look at art.

Genres: Art, History, Biography, Nonfiction, Italy, Art History, Renaissance

Audible Audio

First published October 3, 2017

About the author

Ingrid Drake Rowland is a professor at the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture. She is a frequent contributor to The New York Review of Books. Based in Rome, Rowland writes about Italian art, architecture, history and many other topics for The New York Review of Books. She is the author of the books Giordano Bruno: Philospher/Heretic (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2008); The Place of the Antique in Early Modern Europe; The Culture of the High Renaissance: Ancients and Moderns in Sixteenth Century Rome; The Roman Garden of Agostino Chigi Horst Gerson Memorial Lecture, Groningen: University of Groningen, 2005; The Scarith of Scornello: a Tale of Renaissance Forgery (University of Chicago Press, 2004). Her essays in The New York Review of Books were collected in From Heaven to Arcadia: The Sacred and the Profane in the Renaissance (New York Review Books, 2005).

Reviews

[Netta · Rating 3 out of 5]

A five-star book about the last helpless breath of the Italian Renaissance, or, rather, about artistic life of Florence and Rome in 1511-1574 - a period which happens to coincide with Giorgio Vasari's life.

A two-star biography of Giorgio Vasari.

[Shawn Callon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This biography is a very well written and a well researched book on a much underrated Renaissance artist. I had never heard of Vasari and am very glad to make his acquaintance after all these years. The authors explained that reviewers' opinions have changed over the centuries from seeing him as a diligent biographer to a sly fabricator to a visionary artist. It is clear that he was an accomplished architect if only from the works he undertook for Cosimo Medici in Florence. What really impressed me was his work ethic and his ability to thrive during the politically tumultuous days of Renaissance Italy; he must have had a smooth tongue and a very agile brain to juggle all the conflicting forces of those days - the Pope, the Medici, the republican reformers and the foreign powers of France and Spain who ruled chunks of Italy. I learned that he revived the Florentine Painters Guild to help elevate the rank of the painter from craftsman to be the equal of writers and architects and sculptors. He stressed the importance of learning to draw before painting; to ensure that you understood the first principles of line, figure, shadow, perspective, etc. Unlike many of his contemporaries he readily admired the work of the very few female artists of the Renaissance - Sofonisba Anguissola and Properzia de Rossi. The book rightly lauds Visari for his work as a renowned architect and influential writer/critic.
This review was written by Shawn Callon, author of The Diplomatic Spy

[Matt McCormick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fairly disappointed. The book doesn’t know if it wants to be a Vasari biography, a narrative on the history of art, or a treatise on Vasari’s famous book. Regarding the later, other than the broad strokes – the book had three sections each relating to a historical period, there were heroes and villains, Michelangelo is the hero’s hero, Vasari isn’t always accurate, he looked for information from different sources – we get little detail. I’m no literary critic but I think the editing was clumsy or down right poor in places. The authors can be repetitive and confusing. That for example, “For most of the history of art, creative works could be defined by a positive answer to Aristotle’s three questions, which we addressed in an early chapter:” (page 355). Well, no, you didn’t actually address Aristotle’s three questions in an early chapter. You passingly mention Aristotle a couple of times.
I will say that I appreciated learning a few Italian words and the history of some words, like malaria and masterpiece. As always, reading anything about Renaissance Italy is an enjoyment but I had hoped for more.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd read about Vasari's work before, but never much about his biography, so the insights the authors pulled from his letters were especially interesting. The chapter about his retreat to the monastery at Camaldoli revealed a side of Vasari that was unexpected and sympathetic. It would have been nice if the tiny space allotted to color inserts had featured more of Vasari's works. The last couple of chapters on influence felt a little disjointed, anti-climatic.

[Castles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely repetitive and in desperate need of good editing, but it’s all forgivable because of the originality and many interesting ways in which it approaches Vasari and the renaissance. I’ve learned a lot of new things.

[Marks54 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding book. It is the story of Giorgio Vasari, a true “renaissance man” in that he was a painter, a sculptor, an architect, and a writer, who lived from 1511 to 1574 in Florence and Rome. He served Medici Dukes and Popes and was one of the most highly paid artists of his time, performing commissions almost up until the time of his death. He knew everybody in the business. Most importantly, Vasari “wrote the book” on the major Renaissance artists - “Lives of the Painters, Sculptors, and Architects”. This book was first published in 1550 and was updated in 1568 and appears to have remained in print ever since it was published. This is arguably the most widely read book on art history ever and is the book that defined the artistic renaissance in Northern Italy that we have come to know today. Vasari got to define who the greats were and if artists like Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo are better known today than Vasari, it is in part because Vasari said so - he got to write the history.

There are some excellent recent biographies on Renaissance geniuses. A recent example is Walter Isaacson’s book on Leonardo da Vinci. It is a reasonable question how an author writing in the 20th or 21st centuries can gain access to the highly sophisticated cultural world of 16th century Italian city states. Noah Charney and Ingrid Rowland are two historians who have approached this problem by focusing on the key volume about the period, which was written by a contemporary of the greats, contains extensive and critically reviewed material obtained at the time, and which has generated a huge critical literature of its own. They focus on Vasari as a central node in a network of important friends and colleagues, an active artist and architect in his own right, and a superb writer and chronicler. Was Vasari correct or truthful about everything? Was he unbiased? Most likely no to both questions. But that is not the point. Everyone is biased in some way - the point is to understand the bias and appreciate whether it leads to a reasonable result. As for accuracy or truthfulness, if Vasari was subject to the scrutiny of other who were also present for the events of the book, that is likely the best that can be hoped for in assessing what happened so long ago.

The authors bring their own considerable skills to the project and produce a rich book that is both engaging and an easy read. After reading this, I was even tempted to obtain my own copy of Vasari. The result is astonishing, in that one learns much about Vasari as well as the other greats like Leonardo. I am still fighting a mild depression for having to postpone a family trip to Italy this fall. Reading this wonderful book has made my disappointment easier to take.

[Ellen Cutler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving this book a grudging four stars because if fills an important void rather than the three stars I think it deserves for the large number of printing errata (what, can no one copyedit or proofread any more?) and the many errors of implication (perhaps not errors of fact) resulting from over-simplification of complicated ideas.

This is the third book by Noah Charney I have read and he is starting to really irritate me as a writer. I am less familiar with Ingrid Rowland's bibliography but I have had no reason to disrespect her as an authority or author. Both are now on dubious list, along with their publisher W.W. Norton.

The subject as artist and architect gets short shrift in most art history classes. What is mainly important these days are the biographies he wrote, collected and published of Italian artists and architects of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. I occasionally have assigned passages to students and constantly refer them to the books. (My own copies are ancient Penguin paperbacks dating to 1987.)

Like many of the "mannerist" artists--a term that Vasari himself coined--his achievements are not much to the taste of art historians of my generation: subjects are too arcane, figures are anatomically tortured, color is too bright and acid, compositions are too contrived. Once I got past fearing the jeers and disapproval of peers and professors, I developed a enthusiastic palate for those strange flavors. Besides, I'm a modernist and there is something unmistakably modern, even abstract, about the artists associated with that movement.

So what are my real issues with the book, beyond the distraction of typos? Rowland and Charney are writing for a general audience while abandoning their scholarly obligations to meticulously cite and document their assertions. Finding the footnotes in the back matter is hard enough. Figuring out exactly how they are meant to support some statement or opinion is even worse.

The book starts well enough with a useful summary of the Medici family tree; heaven knows there are masses of them and I wouldn't want to be given the responsibility of creating the Thanksgiving seating plan for that clan. A simplified map of Italy provides a general sense for the relative locations of the cities and town most important in Vasari's life and work. A map of "Central Florence in the Time of Vasari" is the least helpful, but it's okay. There is a section of plates which is incredibly difficult to find and flip too because of the deckle edging on the text pages. More illustrations better spread around the book would be an improvement. The absence of any timeline of Vasari's most important projects, including the "Lives," was a problem.

The two chapters of the Introduction plunge one rather theatrically into the question of the remains of the "lost Leonardo" mural, the "Battle of Anghiari" that scholars and scientists pray was somehow preserved below Vasari's renovations and decorations. The National Geographic Channel as aired a couple time "The Da Vinci Detective" which focuses on the ideas of scientist Maurizio Seracini. (http://art-crime.blogspot.com/2013/01...) The writers describe Seracini's explorations as though this were something new and unknown. It's new and unknown in the sense that Donald Trump is constantly presenting information that everyone knows as though he was the vehicle of its original dissemination. Rowland-Charney then explain "How to Read Vasari's Lives," which is a good idea, but in the rest of the book they will quote and refer to Vasari's claims as though they were gospel. Y'can't have it both ways.

The subtitle of the book is "Giorgio Vasari and the Invention of Art." The claim that Vasari either invented the idea or art or created the discipline of art history is a theme in this book that is certainly more opinion than argument. Most of the book is biography, although keeping track of the year and the players gets increasingly difficult as the decades move on. Did I not have a pretty good inventory of 16th century Italian painters, their dates and their accomplishments in my head, I would have had a real struggle. The last few chapters that range back and forth across the evolution of art history and how it functions today is mostly the authors enjoying the presumption of their own scholarship.

In the end it is the throw-away statements, the art-historical summations that really get my goat. The "art history" that this book presents as orthodox and definitive is neither.

Their discussion of the Council of Trent, the launch of the Catholic Counter-Reformation--and they don't actually use the phrase "Catholic Counter-Reformation"--is only one example but one that makes me most irritable. They suggest that the mannerist style was largely confined to Tuscany and a few other cultural centers, that the art in Rome in the later part of the 16th century (The Council of Trent concluded its twenty-year debates in 1563) hewed to a more classical, Raphaelesque mode. And yet, popes keep dragging Vasari, who died in 1574, back to Rome for important decoration schemes in the Vatican despite their aversion to his style?

On page 302, in the last paragraph of chapter 22, they write: "...[Pope] Pius had no use for the elaborate myths and allegories that Vasari and his literary friends had so enjoyed inventing; the new regime favored saints' lives, with lurid tales of martyrdom, and the simplest, most accessible Bible stories...A full generation would pass before a foul-tempered Lombard nicknamed Caravaggio dared to challenge the Council of Trent's vague but intimidating definition of successful religious art."

Well it's true, the prescriptions the Council wrote for artists on what kind of art they wanted indeed focused on "the simplest, most accessible Bible stories" and martyrdoms. The purpose was to restore and expand the function of religious art as instruction in correct theology and Catholic devotion. But it is absolutely NOT true that the Caravaggio's arrival in Rome in the 1590s and the theatrical and vividly realistic canvases he produced over the next fifteen years were a "challenge" to "the Council of Trent's vague but intimidating definition of successful religious art."

Caravaggio is an artist who personifies the aims of the Catholic Counter-Reformation as articulated by the Council of Trent. It is entirely true that his style and his love for dirty feet and models found in the most sordid corners of Rome and Naples were distasteful to a number of prelates. But just some, not all.

This kind of thing is what I call "simplifying an idea down to the point that it is wrong." I see it as a big problem in museums and as a museum educator I worked to root it out in my own workplace and in the thinking of my docents.

This is a wonderful book for getting a sense of just how mobile artists were in the 16th century, of ways relationships were forged, of how artists contrived to earn a living. It provides a wealth of biographical detail about Vasari. It is, in many ways, an entertaining read. I can't however get over the mistakes, misapprehensions and misdirections it offers readers.

Would I recommend it to my students? Or anyone? I think I would but it would be with a number of caveats about taking assertions, arguments and conclusions with quite a few grains of salt.

[Ruya]

There are several significant errors:

In the chapter titled "Plunder and Plague," the authors claim that Charles V succeeded his father Maximilian as the Holy Roman Emperor in 1519. However, this claim is false. In reality, Maximilian is Charles V's grandfather, and Charles V is the son of Philip the Handsome, who himself is the son of Maximilian.
Second error is about the relationship between Catherine De’Medici and Ippolito. First the aouthor claims that Catherine was Ippolito’s niece, and later she was his step sister, which are both completely wrong. One wonders what the editors are for.

Another mistake is: “Dante himself had called thirty the “middle of our life’s road.”
As a matter of fact Dante’s midlife is widely believed to be 35.

Here is my review :
"Collector of Lives" explores the period in which Giorgio Vasari lived and the fascinating personalities documented in his book, "Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" While the title may suggest it is solely about Vasari's life story, it delves into the lives of renowned figures such as Michelangelo, Bandinelli, Andrea del Sorto (and his domineering wife), Giotto, and more, capturing their rivalries, interactions, and apocryphal anecdotes.

The book offers a unique glimpse into the human rivalries and jealousies that existed among these iconic figures, shedding light on the complexities behind their divine artistic achievements. The stories shared within the pages, including rivalries and delightful apocryphal tales, add depth and intrigue to their narratives.

One aspect to note is that the title may be slightly misleading, as it may lead readers to expect a comprehensive focus on Vasari's own life. However, it successfully captures the audience's attention, particularly given the scarcity of documentaries or books specifically about Vasari's life. The second part of the book delves into the conception, production and expansion of “The Lives” and it is probably the most delightful portion of thos book.

The writing style of "Collector of Lives" deserves praise. The clarity and fluidity of the prose make it a joy to read. At times, the narrative flows with the pace of a fast-paced novel, immersing readers into the vibrant renaissance world of these artistic luminaries.

“Collector of Lives” offers not only captivating stories of artistic rivalries but also provides valuable historical information. The book presents intriguing backdrop stories, such as the Medici family and the Medici Popes, their repeated expulsions from Florence, and the notorious sack of Rome in 1528. These historical accounts serve as a rich tapestry, encircling the lives of the artists and bringing them to life within their broader historical context.

The inclusion of these backdrop stories adds depth and breadth to the narrative, enriching the readers’ understanding of the cultural and political climate in which these artistic figures thrived. It is through these historical accounts that the book transcends a mere collection of individual biographies and transforms into a compelling portrayal of an era.

“Collector of Lives” reads like a captivating screenplay, effortlessly blending historical information with engaging storytelling. The book’s ability to move seamlessly between different narratives keeps readers thoroughly engaged, while also providing moments of outright humor that add an enjoyable touch.
One of the most remarkable emotional lightings for me happened in the letter Vasari wrote to the young duke Francisco Medici. At the end of the latter he said “death ends every story”. Vasari's quote, "Death ends every story," deeply moved me. It reminds us of our mortality and the fleeting nature of life. It prompts reflection on artists whose works, like our own lives, are bound by time. Yet, amid this reminder, there is an invitation to appreciate and honor their legacies. By preserving their stories, we ensure their everlasting inspiration.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Collector of Lives." If you have an interest in art history and appreciate a well-written book that reads like a captivating novel, I highly recommend giving "Collector of Lives" a read.

[Tahlia Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an unexpected gem. I started off by listening to it on Audible, as I had wanted an audiobook to listen to for Quarter 3 of Historathon 2023 [1500-1820 AD], and this title had struck my fancy. I expected to learn more about Renaissance artists who I already knew and loved… I did not anticipate that I would become invested in Giorgio Visari himself. Prior to this book, I had never heard of Visari, let alone known that he was an accomplished artist in his own right.

As the book progressed, I found myself longing to see the paintings and frescos referred to, but – even more pressingly – I yearned to see Visari’s work. At this point, I abandoned the audiobook and pick up a hardback format so that I could resume the work there. I am so glad that I did. The artwork and the feeling of the book in my hands was worth it.

I have learned so much from this book about the art scene and political climate of the Renaissance Italian city-states. This book – and Visari himself – awakened in me a desire to learn more about other artists of the era, and I picked up a few other books focusing on different Renaissance artists.

I wish that I had started The Collector of Lives in the hardback format; I am certain that I missed some valuable nuggets of information that I simply did not absorb as well via audiobook. There is so much that I enjoyed about this book, but Visari himself was the best part, the treasure too often undervalued by history. Itinerant Artist, Writer, Historian, Architect… Giorgio Visari was all of these things. But above all else, he was a driven outsider who sprung out of Arezzo onto the Florentine art scene… and formed how the art world of the Renaissance and beyond would be viewed for prosperity.

I have set Visari back on my shelf for now, but this will not be the last time I visit him and his world in these pages. The Collector of Lives is definitely a 5-star read for me.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

really really enjoyed this and am almost glad it took me so long to read

i always think art history books/biographies need more pictures in them!! the 6(?) glossy pages were simply not enough for me google images was always open and ready every time i picked this up

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hesitant to read this as I’ve only read a few excerpts of Lives but now I’m glad I read this first. When I do get around to reading Lives, I’m sure it’ll be much more enjoyable and enlightening, one reason being that this book forewarned me to the dramatizations and misinformation and straight out lies that make Lives so spicy but are still false. Vasari’s own biases, ones that art historians have relied on for years leading to the overlooking of many capable artists that were brushed off by Vasari, are pointed out and given reasons for that lead back to his dedication to disegno above all art approaches and his own rivalries as an artist. Along with being a dedicated biography of Vasari and an account of the circumstances that led to the writing Lives, I found this book to also be great introduction to understanding the political and social forces influencing the output of Italian art during this time. This book is a sampling of interesting events, nobility, and of course artists from renaissance Italy, indeed I was inclined to study further many of the figures and places that I hadn’t previously heard of. An informative and often hilarious read, I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in art and history but especially as among one’s introduction to the study of art history. However, even without an interest in art history this book is valuable in its ability to enrich ones knowledge about some of the most recognizable figures in history and about 16th century Italy in general.

[Bobbi Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the end 2018 I won’t be surprised if this book has made it to my list of top ten reads of the year. Rowland and Charney have helped me release many prejudices and misinformation about Vasari and about fifteen century art. They put into context how art, the lives of artists, and the social and political situation in Italy were woven together. They give a fresh understanding of the history of the history of art.
Much of the book is set in Florence, my absolute favorite city. I can picture the buildings and works of art mentioned. As I read at home, I was also reading in Florence, my home away from home.

[Eugenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Кого мы считаем великим художником? Уверена, что для многих это либо Леонардо, либо Микеланджело. Ну, еще, может, Рафаэль, но реже. А почему же именно они?

Вы не поверите — из-за Вазари. Его знают гораздо меньше людей, чем Леонардо и Микеланджело, но именно он создал искусствоведение, написав «Жизнеописания прославленных живописцев, скульпторов и архитекторов». Современная концепция искусства получила распространение, если не родилась, именно благодаря ему, великому первооткрывателю. Если бы не Вазари, мы бы никогда не узнали о нескольких женщинах — художницах эпохи Возрождения. Например, о нежно любимой моей Софонисбе Ангвиссоле.

Благодаря этому человеку мы знаем, почему Микеланджело — это великолепно, это гениально, что тосканские художники — это лучшее, что случалось с живописью. Другое дело, что «мессер Джорджо... и не думал хвалить кого-либо, кроме тосканцев, хороших или плохих, да помилует его Господь» — так писал про него художник Федерико Цуккари, и был, конечно, прав.

Сила текста Вазари была настолько велика, что по его «Жизнеописаниям» учились и учатся до сих пор, а о том, что там есть ошибки и не всему написанному Вазари стоит верить, историки задумались только в 1980-х. Вазари хвалил так, что художник оставался в веках, озаряя всех нас своим светом. Вазари не упоминал художника в «Жизнеописаниях» — и тот пропадал во тьме веков очень и очень надолго. Вазари умел похвалить так, что лучше бы обругал (так было, например, со скульптурой «Геркулес и Какус» Баччо, которая сейчас, слава богу, стоит на площади Синьории, а не канула в Лету). А ругал, знаете, почему? Потому что не любил.

«Покойные мастера, такие как Рафаэль, или старые, такие как Микеланджело, уже не представляли угрозы. Для них он не скупился на похвалу. Но для современников он выбирал жесткие выражения или вовсе их игнорировал. Историки искусства в большинстве своем приняли его точку зрения. Только недавно они стали изучать тех художников, которых Вазари пропустил (например, Пинтуриккьо). А все из-за его авторитета».

Мощь, да?

Но самое интересное — сам же Вазари пал жертвой им же созданных представлений о том, что такое хорошо, плохо и прекрасно. Мало кто вспомнит его с такой же легкостью, как вспоминают его любимого Микеланджело. А Вазари ведь был действительно талантливым, настоящим «человеком эпохи Возрождения» — художник, архитектор, писатель. Его жизнь была потрясающе интересной, плотно переплеталась с судьбой всей Ит��лии через Медичи и римских пап, через знакомство с лучшими творцами и самыми заметными политиками того времени. Читать книгу Роланд и Чарни настолько интересно, что иногда забываешь, что это нон-фикшн, а не исторический остросюжетный роман.

Рекомендую — особенно если вы вдруг решили взяться за сами «Жизнеописания» без подготовки.

[Arrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice and informative period-piece, not about Vasari's "Lives of the Artists," and not so much about Giorgio himself, but mostly about the end of the book's title - the "Invention of Art." And how his "Lives" basically set the canon of Renaissance art, thereby defining what we now consider classic Western art. Life in Medici Florence and Popes from Rome are all around us.

Varari was much more than a mere biographer - a sculptor, architect, scholar, writer and painter. As an aside, do NOT miss Vasari's Last Judgment, which covers the barrel of the vault beneath Brunelleschi's dome in the Florence Duomo - if anyone needs a reminder to live a good and proper life, this will be it. Plus it was the inspiration for Michelangelo's later Last Judgment on the wall of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican - I like Giorgio's originality a bit better myself.

There is also some fascinating speculation about a buried Da Vinci masterwork behind a wall and mural Vasari added when remodeling Florence's Palazzo Vecchio in 1550 or so - I was unaware of this possibility and enjoyed reading about it.

Readers interested in learning more (no matter how much they already think they know) about the enduring impact of Vasari's biographies and about Renaissance life in Florence and elsewhere will benefit from this book - I enjoyed it quite a bit and recommend it even for those with only a passing or peripheral interest in Vasari himself - it is mostly about what we love about Renaissance art and why we love it.

[Mark Lisac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably rates 4 stars as an attempt to write a biography of Vasari while also describing the political and artistic environment in which he lived. However, as a reading experience, I found the book constantly failing to hold my attention. A steady blizzard of names of lesser known artists and influential people left me wondering if all the detail was needed. The narrative also wobbled between different subjects: Vasari's life; mini-biographies of many other artists; sketches of political and military tides rolling through central Italy; the development (strongly influenced by Vasari) of art history and concepts of what makes good art; the history of painting and architecture in the Renaissance. A few piquant anecdotes are thrown in to keep up some entertainment value. The meagre selection of colour plates left me going back and forth to the Internet to see what paintings and buildings the book was describing (illustrations are expensive, but still …). And despite the insistence that Vasari's opinions had a strong effect on art criticism through the next four centuries, the actual evidence for that is very quickly swept up in a few closing pages; the judgment sounds right but more demonstration seemed called for. Vasari did emerge as an interesting person with an evocative history; the text includes a few of his letters, which show a distinctive personality and a surprisingly modern-sounding way of writing. I was also surprised to see another review citing a handful of basic errors of fact.

[Andrea Ole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a biography of Giorgio Vasari and informative history of the political and cultural background in which Vasari lived of Renaissance Italy, mostly in Florence and Rome. Lots of useful information is conveyed about artists and art practices in sixteenth century Italy, yet I found the informal, easy-going style intended for the general reader off-putting, if not at times outright offensive. The approach adopted seemed to be one of an instructor of art history making a constant effort to amuse and entertain a young adult audience with witty remarks and amusing anecdotes, which may well prove useful for such a class, but I believe such an approach is bad taste and inappropriate for a general art history book. Furthermore, the map this book provided proved inadequate: I was forced to check a map of Renaissance Italy on the internet to identify all the places that the always busy Vasari visited to undertake commissions. Furthermore, I needed to also constantly look up images of paintings by Vasari and other artists alluded to in the book; the book provides a selection of such paintings, but far too few.

[Mary Catherine Mann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a basic overview of Giorgio Vasari's life and his primary work "Lives of the Artists". From a baseline review, it functions primarily as a somewhat more researched high school book report with some integrated biography. There is little substantial contribution to the impact of Giorgio Vasari's work, his writings, and a placement within a larger historic context specifically in the creation of art as a discipline. I would not recommend this book for academic research as it offers little reflexive analysis or depth concerning the subject matter and its themes. I have read many a historic monograph and this one is bare boned with little to offer past an introduction to who Giorgio Vasari was and an outline of what he wrote. Which is by definition, a book report. My recommendation is to read the primary document of Vasari instead. There was potential to expand upon Vasari's life and work, specifically in context of the Renaissance and lasting impacts into the study of art as a respected discipline and world but was rarely employed with the book.

Two stars - if I was grading this as a freshman college book report, it would recieve a decent grade.

[Bart Barnard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books follows the developments during the Italian Renaissance and the most important artists at the time, on a more or less chronological form. After the Introduction the book consists of three parts, though it is not completely clear what differentiates those parts. If I were to guess, the first part would be the history before Vasari and the Renaissance, the second part about the Renaissance itself and the third part about the heydays of Vasari and the reception of his works during his lifetime.

In thirty chapters (of remarkable different lengths) the most important artists are put in a chronological order. Central person is, of course, Vasari himself, and it is his perspective that we follow.

Though I have read this book with great joy, I am missing a few things. Not in the least a complete overview of all the artists, Medici and events that occured at this time. So I have [created one myself](https://mandarin.nl/timeline/).

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am glad that we read this book in Book Group, which everyone liked. At first, it was a bit hard to get into the book, as it seemed rather academic. However, as soon as I got to about page 50 or 60, I was hooked and really enjoyed it. Very well researched and written. It seems to me that one should be a lover of History of Art, and more especially of Florence, Italy, and the Renaissance period, to really appreciated this tome. If not, the reader could be a bit bored and overwhelmed by it all.

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is based on the Vasari's masterpiece of a book - "Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects", and it reminds me of yet another Vasari's creation - his fresco on the ceiling of the cupola of the Florence Cathedral which he jam-packed with figures so that we can hardly perceive the grandeur of architecture.
I found this book overloaded with stories from Vasari's book, I'd rather read a more critical and solid view. But I must admit, this book provides us with lots of insights about Florentine lifestyle and culture.

[Blythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book about the art during the Florentine Renaissance. Also touches on other parts of Italy and includes history and "setting the scene." I love reading about the artists and looking them up. A couple quibbles. There are almost no illustrations and the ones they pick often seem like odd, vaguely related choices. Also might have needed better editing - words missing or parentheses not complete. Still, I enjoyed this book and saw it as a good jumping-off point.

[Maryna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about Giorgio Vasari, artist of Italian Renaissance and the father of art history as we know it. It is not necessary to read his Lives to appreciate this text but I did and it was very insightful. This book also contains other interesting historical facts related to it’s subject matter, sometimes in a very hilarious manner.

[Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview of the life of Vasari, the author of The Lives of the Artists. Vasari’s Mannerist style of art is no longer in fashion, but his biography of artists of the Renaissance is probably the best known original source for the artists of the 14-16th centuries.

[Daniel Farabaugh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does not suffer from becoming just a list of works as other books about artists often do. The author puts this book into good context of Italian history and interweaves the lives of other artists in his biographies very well. This was a good, not great book.

[Russel Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, engaging read aimed largely at a pop art history/pop history audience. It blends the biography with the political history with the art history in ways that are detailed without being overly tangential.

[Alexis Kaelin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really wonderful popular read. Just the right mixture of scholarship, cheeky anecdotes, and a steady pace. I can't comment too much on the accuracy of everything, but I don't much care to nitpit with such a lively read.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very detailed book about the lives and art of Vasari, Michelangelo, Da Vinci and other Renaissance artists. Very informative! It has inspired me to learn more about the Renaissance, and to read Lives by Vasari. If you are in the Cleveland area, a Vasari drawing is currently on display.

[Kevin Christiansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining biography of Giorgio Vasari as well as insights on the Medici Family and Renaissance art in Italy. Looking forward to reading Vasari's The Lives of The Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects.

[Tom N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of Vasari and his book. But Goodread’s Book Description contains an error when it says Vasari was “a confidant” of Donatello. Vasari was not born until several decades after the great sculptor’s death.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting examination of Vasari's personal biography interwoven with that of his Lives. A more thorough edit would have improved the quality of the writing, but overall, enjoyable and educational.