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World History Biographies

Michelangelo: The Young Artist Who Dreamed of Perfection

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Has any other artist left the world such a vast legacy as Michelangelo? Author Philip Wilkinson leads young readers on a journey of discovery through the life and works of the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, and poet in a visually evocative book.

Wilkinson's lively narrative follows Michelangelo from his early apprenticeship in fresco through his fascination with sculpture, which gave us such masterpieces as the Pieta and David. Readers learn how Michelangelo studied anatomy by cutting up cadavers and of his tortuous struggle to release the human form from raw stone.

With the help of period artwork, quotes, and photographs of artifacts, the book traces Michelangelo's lifelong association with the Medici family and his Vatican patronage through several papacies. His monumental work on the Sistine Chapel ceiling is examined in detail, as is Michelangelo's role as Chief Architect to St. Peter's. Michelangelo's story will enthrall all who are inspired by the search for perfection.

National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.
Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information. 

64 pages, Library Binding

First published July 11, 2006

24 people want to read

About the author

Philip Wilkinson

241 books31 followers
Philip Wilkinson (born 1955) is the author of non-fiction books for children and adults. He was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He worked as an editor prior to becoming an author.

He specializes in works on history, the arts, religion, and architecture and has written over forty titles.

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Lindsay.
188 reviews
September 13, 2011
I love juvenile non-fiction. It is just enough information I would want to know on a subject and a quick read! Michelangelo was a interesting and extremely talented man.
Profile Image for Sue.
1,698 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2016
Extremely well-done in every way. Loved the timeline on the bottom of the pages, nice pictures, text describes just enough material to keep one's interest, skillful and interesting inserts with tidbits of information.

This is tribute to a genius, so the subject matter was also superb.
Profile Image for Lynn  Davidson.
8,200 reviews35 followers
January 2, 2022
This is a very interesting and educational 64-page book about Michelangelo - from his birth to his death. Illustrations are photographs of actual works, there are sidebars of extra information, and the timeline is featured along the bottom of pages.
The story is divided into sections:
TOWN BOY, COUNTRY BOY:
The Magistrates's Son; A Boy in Florence; The Renaissance in Italy; Grammer School; The Workshop
THE YOUNG SCULPTOR:
In the Sculpture Garden; The Medici; Professional Sculptor; The Death of Lorenzo; Working in Rome; Fame at Last
ARTIST TO THE POPE:
David; The Popes; The Warrior Pope; Sistine Chapel; A New Challenge; War!
THE LATER YEARS:
Michelangelo the Poet; Michelangelo's Beliefs; Troubled Times; Master Architect; Last Years; Last Years; Michelangelo's Legacy
GLOSSARY (consists of 40 definitions)
BIBLIOGRAPHY and INDEX
7 reviews
February 26, 2020
This biography, Michelangelo: The Young Artist who Dreamed of Perfection, was an engaging book. This book was written by Phillip Wilkinson. The book was about Michelangelo’s life and his dedication to the arts. Michelangelo was a painter and sculptor. He also did visual arts. Many famous paintings came from Michelangelo. The author did a good job of making the book interesting. The book had cover pages for different parts of Michelangelo’s life, such as his sculpting career and his childhood. The book also had bright colors and appealing pictures which also contributed to the enjoyability of the book. Mainly, the story of Michelangelo’s life was written in a likable manner. It follows an easy-to-follow plot. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an engaging story.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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