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The Life of Michelangelo, 2nd Edition
Ascanio Condivi was a young pupil and assistant of Michelangelo's who gained the trust and confidence of the great artist. His biography of Michelangelo to a large extent is based on the artist's own words, tells the story of his life, his relationship with his patrons, his objectives as an artist, and his accomplishments, forming the basis of a biography that has been central to the study of Michelangelo for four centuries. The significance of Condivi's text was recognized early on. Within fifteen years of its publication in 1553, Vasari incorporated much of it to correct and revise his biography of Michelangelo in the second edition of his Lives of the Artists . But, although Vasari knew Michelangelo well, the sculptor never confided in him to the extent that he did in Condivi, making this the indispensable source for the life of Michelangelo. First published in 1976, this translation is now available in paperback for the first time and includes a revised introduction based on new research, as well as an up-to-date bibliography and endnotes section.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1553
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 8, 2022
Die Darstellung aus der Feder seines Schülers und Dieners scheint hier und dort etwas parteiisch, interessant ist es doch zweifellos, dem Leben und Schaffen eines maßgebenden Künstlers zu folgen.
January 5, 2022
Vie de Michel Angelo
By Ascanio Condivi (1524 – 1574)
We have two biographies of Michelangelo from authors of his lifetime.
One from Giorgio Vasari, who included it in his “Vite”, the biographies of the artists of the Italian Renaissance published 1550.
The present one is from Ascanio Condivi, his disciple published in 1553.
Michelangelo was irritated against Vasari’s publication and wrote him a sarcastic letter: thanks for having included me with the dead.
Ascanio Condivi’s biography of his master was composed under his supervision and remains the reference, the most complete, precise, sure, and lively report ever composed. As his student would have received daily confidences and details no one else could know.
Michelangelo was not from a poor family he was proud of his noble ancestry. His father was educated but made but a modest income from an old estate he had inherited. Proud of his newborn son he had planned a literary education for him.
But Michelangelo as from a young age was stubborn and decided to become a painter.
All our lives are influenced by encounters we make. Michelangelo made two decisive encounters early in his life. He met Francesco Granacci when he was ten years old, Granacci was sixteen and was an apprentice at Ghirlandaio’s workshop. They both spent two years with Ghirlandaio who was the most successful artist in Florence at the time.
It was again Granacci who took Michelangelo along to work in a garden belonging to Laurent the Magnificent of the Medicis family, the ruler of Florence.
There Michelangelo discovered ancient Greek statues which fascinated him. He decided never to leave the garden again and started to try and make copies of figures he admired.
One day, when Laurent, the owner visiting his garden, observed the young man in his efforts, he noticed the boy’s gift for sculpturing.
From that day Michelangelo’s life changed. He was invited to Laurent’s table and provided a room in the palace. He would be at the Medici’s court, following that families’ fortunes and misfortunes, for the rest of his life.
Now that Michelangelo had stumbled into high society he would learn about politics, sciences, architecture, and literature.
He started creating sculptures for the Medici with great success, learning that, if you outshine established artists in place, you will also get enemies. This was going to be a pain that followed Michelangelo throughout his life.
Continuing Condivi’s biography of his master we follow decades of continuous progress in art and celebrity.
In 1499 the Cardinal of Saint-Denis asked MA to produce a ‘Pieta’, the mother of Jesus holding her son in her arms at the base of the cross.
This statue turned out to be of such divine beauty and perfection that it was recognized as a masterpiece unequalled in his lifetime and of equal to ancient Greek masters. Michelangelo was at the age of twenty-five.
After returning to Florence, between 1501 and 1504 he created ‘David’ the Goliath slayer, a giant sculpture of a young man, over five meters high.
From 1508 to 1512 Michelangelo was painting the ceiling of the Sixteen Chapel an everlasting celebrity for the painter and a historical milestone of art.
In the same Chapel, from 1536 to 1541 he painted a famous fresco “The Last Judgment” on the wall above the altar.
Pope Julius II had initially called Michelangelo to Rome to design and build his tomb in the basilica of Saint Peter. The work started under Pope Julius, was interrupted several times by death, disputes and disagreements and continued by following popes over the years. The impressive sculpture of a spiritual Moises created in 1515 can be seen at this tomb.
Condivi provides all the adventurous details of each achievement: who, where, when and what. He also reports on lesser-known artwork, some of which have disappeared over time.
We get to know about Michelangelo’s attitude to religion, which was rather reformist and critical of the pompous richness of Popes and the church. Had he not already had the status of a half-god or an immortal he might have had more trouble.
Condivi places his master on par with Homer for poetry, Plato for wisdom, Pythagoras for mathematics, Michelangelo for art.
He promises to publish Michelangelo’s collected poetry. He never came to do it but fortunately, the documents were not lost and published later.
Like Giotto, Brunelleschi, da Vinci and Raphael, Michelangelo became involved in architecture.
After many others, the church of Saint Peter was the last project built under his plans and directions. He doubted however, he could finish the dome in his lifetime, so he produced a reduced wooden model to guide future architects.
The last two popes in Michelangelo’s time, Paul IV and Pius IV had such an admiration for the artist, they made sure that the work was finished precisely as he had planned it.
Michelangelo died in Rome in February 1563. Citizens of Florence had transferred his body secretly by night to his hometown where they organized a funeral ceremony much superior to the habits of his genial but modest life.
Condivi’s work gives a close-up view of Michelangelo’s life with everyday events, encounters, and thoughts in focus. It is a treasure for readers interested in the Italian Renaissance.
By Ascanio Condivi (1524 – 1574)
We have two biographies of Michelangelo from authors of his lifetime.
One from Giorgio Vasari, who included it in his “Vite”, the biographies of the artists of the Italian Renaissance published 1550.
The present one is from Ascanio Condivi, his disciple published in 1553.
Michelangelo was irritated against Vasari’s publication and wrote him a sarcastic letter: thanks for having included me with the dead.
Ascanio Condivi’s biography of his master was composed under his supervision and remains the reference, the most complete, precise, sure, and lively report ever composed. As his student would have received daily confidences and details no one else could know.
Michelangelo was not from a poor family he was proud of his noble ancestry. His father was educated but made but a modest income from an old estate he had inherited. Proud of his newborn son he had planned a literary education for him.
But Michelangelo as from a young age was stubborn and decided to become a painter.
All our lives are influenced by encounters we make. Michelangelo made two decisive encounters early in his life. He met Francesco Granacci when he was ten years old, Granacci was sixteen and was an apprentice at Ghirlandaio’s workshop. They both spent two years with Ghirlandaio who was the most successful artist in Florence at the time.
It was again Granacci who took Michelangelo along to work in a garden belonging to Laurent the Magnificent of the Medicis family, the ruler of Florence.
There Michelangelo discovered ancient Greek statues which fascinated him. He decided never to leave the garden again and started to try and make copies of figures he admired.
One day, when Laurent, the owner visiting his garden, observed the young man in his efforts, he noticed the boy’s gift for sculpturing.
From that day Michelangelo’s life changed. He was invited to Laurent’s table and provided a room in the palace. He would be at the Medici’s court, following that families’ fortunes and misfortunes, for the rest of his life.
Now that Michelangelo had stumbled into high society he would learn about politics, sciences, architecture, and literature.
He started creating sculptures for the Medici with great success, learning that, if you outshine established artists in place, you will also get enemies. This was going to be a pain that followed Michelangelo throughout his life.
Continuing Condivi’s biography of his master we follow decades of continuous progress in art and celebrity.
In 1499 the Cardinal of Saint-Denis asked MA to produce a ‘Pieta’, the mother of Jesus holding her son in her arms at the base of the cross.
This statue turned out to be of such divine beauty and perfection that it was recognized as a masterpiece unequalled in his lifetime and of equal to ancient Greek masters. Michelangelo was at the age of twenty-five.
After returning to Florence, between 1501 and 1504 he created ‘David’ the Goliath slayer, a giant sculpture of a young man, over five meters high.
From 1508 to 1512 Michelangelo was painting the ceiling of the Sixteen Chapel an everlasting celebrity for the painter and a historical milestone of art.
In the same Chapel, from 1536 to 1541 he painted a famous fresco “The Last Judgment” on the wall above the altar.
Pope Julius II had initially called Michelangelo to Rome to design and build his tomb in the basilica of Saint Peter. The work started under Pope Julius, was interrupted several times by death, disputes and disagreements and continued by following popes over the years. The impressive sculpture of a spiritual Moises created in 1515 can be seen at this tomb.
Condivi provides all the adventurous details of each achievement: who, where, when and what. He also reports on lesser-known artwork, some of which have disappeared over time.
We get to know about Michelangelo’s attitude to religion, which was rather reformist and critical of the pompous richness of Popes and the church. Had he not already had the status of a half-god or an immortal he might have had more trouble.
Condivi places his master on par with Homer for poetry, Plato for wisdom, Pythagoras for mathematics, Michelangelo for art.
He promises to publish Michelangelo’s collected poetry. He never came to do it but fortunately, the documents were not lost and published later.
Like Giotto, Brunelleschi, da Vinci and Raphael, Michelangelo became involved in architecture.
After many others, the church of Saint Peter was the last project built under his plans and directions. He doubted however, he could finish the dome in his lifetime, so he produced a reduced wooden model to guide future architects.
The last two popes in Michelangelo’s time, Paul IV and Pius IV had such an admiration for the artist, they made sure that the work was finished precisely as he had planned it.
Michelangelo died in Rome in February 1563. Citizens of Florence had transferred his body secretly by night to his hometown where they organized a funeral ceremony much superior to the habits of his genial but modest life.
Condivi’s work gives a close-up view of Michelangelo’s life with everyday events, encounters, and thoughts in focus. It is a treasure for readers interested in the Italian Renaissance.
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August 11, 2024Lu pour le mémoire bien sûr
May 6, 2014
Ascanio was a moderately talented painter sculptor and architect from Ripatransone in the Marches.
He is remembered today for his biography of his friend Michelangelo Buonarroti.
This biography is divided into three parts: To the Pope "Julius III", to "The Readers" and "The Life of Michelangelo"
According to historical documents at that times, there were a strong competition between Ascanio Condivi, from Ripatransone, the first and authorised biographer of Michelangelo and the antagonist Giorgio Vasari from Florence.
A reason for their hatred is their geographic origin, one from a miniscule and unknown village and the other from the city.
Most probably Vasari did not accepted that Ascanio was a friend of Michelangelo
According to some literary critics Ascanio was the unique biographer this is proved by this biography and in particular when Ascanio reveals the intimate life of Michelangelo.
(Dialogue between Michelangelo and Pope Julius III)
"I've already told your holiness that this is not my art; all that I've done is spoiled; if you do not believe it send and see" (P.100)
In my opinion this is the proof that only a close friend is able to witness this "special relationship" .
Reading this biography we will read the reason why Michelangelo changed his last name to Buonarrotti, his childhood in Florence at the time of "The Magnificent Lorenzo" , we will read a detailed description of the preparatory drawing, for the lower storey of Julius Tomb, the competition between Michelangelo and Raphael, the meaning and detailed description of "The separation of land from water (Sistine Ceiling), the Fall of Man (Sistine Ceiling), The Pietà and Moses.
In the last paragraph summarise the noble soul of Ascanio Condivi:
"I hope before long to bring out some of Michael Angelo's sonnets and madrigals, which I have for a long time collected, both from himself and from others, that the world may know the worth of his imaginations and how many beautiful conceits were born in his divine spirit. And with this I make an end"
He is remembered today for his biography of his friend Michelangelo Buonarroti.
This biography is divided into three parts: To the Pope "Julius III", to "The Readers" and "The Life of Michelangelo"
According to historical documents at that times, there were a strong competition between Ascanio Condivi, from Ripatransone, the first and authorised biographer of Michelangelo and the antagonist Giorgio Vasari from Florence.
A reason for their hatred is their geographic origin, one from a miniscule and unknown village and the other from the city.
Most probably Vasari did not accepted that Ascanio was a friend of Michelangelo
According to some literary critics Ascanio was the unique biographer this is proved by this biography and in particular when Ascanio reveals the intimate life of Michelangelo.
(Dialogue between Michelangelo and Pope Julius III)
"I've already told your holiness that this is not my art; all that I've done is spoiled; if you do not believe it send and see" (P.100)
In my opinion this is the proof that only a close friend is able to witness this "special relationship" .
Reading this biography we will read the reason why Michelangelo changed his last name to Buonarrotti, his childhood in Florence at the time of "The Magnificent Lorenzo" , we will read a detailed description of the preparatory drawing, for the lower storey of Julius Tomb, the competition between Michelangelo and Raphael, the meaning and detailed description of "The separation of land from water (Sistine Ceiling), the Fall of Man (Sistine Ceiling), The Pietà and Moses.
In the last paragraph summarise the noble soul of Ascanio Condivi:
"I hope before long to bring out some of Michael Angelo's sonnets and madrigals, which I have for a long time collected, both from himself and from others, that the world may know the worth of his imaginations and how many beautiful conceits were born in his divine spirit. And with this I make an end"
March 6, 2022
a biography co-authored by michelangelo himself as a direct response to vasari’s commentary about the julius ii tomb in “lives.” quite reverent and biased but an incredibly important firsthand account of the way michelangelo completely upended society’s view and value of an artist.
favorite tidbit: historians have found michelangelo’s own copy of the biography that he annotated in. during the sistine chapel section when condivi writes, “it is true that I have heard him say that it is not finished as he would have wanted,” michelangelo angrily scribbled back at condivi musing how he could ever say such a wondrous work was incomplete.
favorite tidbit: historians have found michelangelo’s own copy of the biography that he annotated in. during the sistine chapel section when condivi writes, “it is true that I have heard him say that it is not finished as he would have wanted,” michelangelo angrily scribbled back at condivi musing how he could ever say such a wondrous work was incomplete.
December 10, 2024
The rviarly between Michelangelo, Raphael and Bramante would make for an interesting film.
I was hoping for more detail on the sculpture of David and the childhood of Michelangelo.
One does however leave with the impression that even in his youth his contemporaries were almost frightened by his spiritual powers.
I will now read Vasaris account which Michelangelo himself did not enjoy but perhaps I will.
I was hoping for more detail on the sculpture of David and the childhood of Michelangelo.
One does however leave with the impression that even in his youth his contemporaries were almost frightened by his spiritual powers.
I will now read Vasaris account which Michelangelo himself did not enjoy but perhaps I will.
May 27, 2024
Interesting first-hand insights to the great man!
March 21, 2017
Michelangelo was so Extra and it really makes me laugh
September 23, 2012
Michelangelo transformed the status of the artist from hired craftsman to patrician artisan through his art, ideals, and Condivi's Life. I do not wish to spoil this book for anyone, but I do offer one suggestion. Read the Introduction to whatever edition you have and pick up (or find it on GoogleBooks) a copy of Giorgio Vasari's Most Excellent Lives to read his vita (life) of Michelangelo. Why? Because you will want to know what Vasari did (and did not) change following the publication of Condivi's Life and Mikey's death. Condivi's Life is a true literary rebuttal in Michelangelo's voice (and pen as some believe). The Life of Michelangelo is a testament to the ideals of an age and a singular man.
January 24, 2016
As a contemporary biographer I much prefer Condivi to Vasari. He gives more concrete details of incidents in Michelangelo's life and his praise is within bounds. The choice of illustrations in this edition is very good although the quality of reproduction is not up to modern standards. (This edition was published in 1976.)
May 24, 2016
How could I not give this 5 stars?
Read in conjunction with reading Journals on Michelangelo. Currently writing an essay on how Michelangelo created himself, and did so through the crafting of elements such as this book.
Read in conjunction with reading Journals on Michelangelo. Currently writing an essay on how Michelangelo created himself, and did so through the crafting of elements such as this book.
January 22, 2008
I reverence Michelangelo, so how could I help but love a biography penned by a fellow admirer? And one who actually spoke, studied, and lived with the Titan himself?
December 21, 2013
This is a great book about Michelangelo! I loved learning more about this great master.
September 7, 2016
Biography of the master by a personal friend. Offers a timeline of his works as well as the personal touch by someone who knew him personally.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews