Sistine Chapel: A Glorious Restoration

by Pierluigi de Vecchi (Editor), Diana Murphy (English Editor), John Shearman (Contributor)

This text celebrates the nine-year restoration of one of the world's greatest masterpieces. The painting's original vivid colours are reproduced in all their glory, accompanied by authoritative essays. Essays in this volume were presented at a conference, 'Michelangelo: The Sistine Chapel', held at the Vatican 26-31 March 1990 and will appear in the forthcoming Proceedings, edited by Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt.

Contents:
Introduction : an account of the Restoration / Carlo Pietrangeli --
Observations on drawings for the Sistine Chapel / Michael Hirst --
The technique of the Sistine ceiling frescoes / Gianluigi Colalucci --
The problem of Michelangelo's assistants / Fabrizio Mancinelli --
The functions of Michelangelo's color / John Shearman --
Jonah's body language / Matthias Winner --
The costumes worn by the ancestors of Christ / Edward Maeder --
The syntax of form and posture from the ceiling to the Last judgment / Pierluigi de Vecchi --
The Last judgment : notes on its conservation history, technique, and restoration / Fabrizio Mancinelli, Gianluigi Colalucci, and Nazzareno Gabrielli --
New documents on the construction of the Sistine Chapel / Piernicola Pagliara.

Genres: Art, History, Art History, Nonfiction

271 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1994

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been to the Sistine Chapel no fewer than six times, three visits occurred during the restoration, so it was gratifying that on my last tour all scaffolding was removed. Even the last judgment restoration was complete. This is a delicious book, not only for the birdseye-view images but for the essays written by people responsible for the restoration, various Vatican curators and art historians, Michael Hirst and John Shearman.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book as a reference for scholarly articles. It has huge fold out pictures and descriptions which help you "see" the chapel as a whole even if you have never been there.

[Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well worth the price of admission! Though not all articles were equally as interesting, they are all well researched and the illustrations are truly remarkable. It was great to be reading it alongside Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling. I could open this book to the illustrations that Ross King was talking about and truly get a sense of the work.

Though a coffee-table book, it is wonderfully done and worth having.

[Merrilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book in college when I was deciding on what to write my final humanities paper on - the choices were writing about the restoration, or the Elgin Marbles. In the end I chose the Elgin Marbles, but the restoration was brilliant and very educational.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great breakdown of the Chapel art. A great reference.

[Peg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately I saw it prior to the restitution.

[MaryJane Rings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely interesting. A well researched and documented account of the life of Michelangelo and the frescoes he created and painted in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. The political intrigue of the times and the Popes who through their corruption and betrayal led to his hidden messages in the great artwork. The author describes the frescoes and their meaning in vivid detail. He also depicts the political tone and the prominent people of Renaissance Rome as well as the art and culture of Florence.