Introducing Michelangelo - Hardcover

Richmond, Robin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316744409 ISBN 13: 9780316744409

Publisher: Little Brown & Co, 1992

Synopsis

Highlighted by full-color reproductions of Michelangelo's masterpieces, this study provides young readers with a close-up look at the life and work of one of the world's greatest artists.

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Reviews

Grade 3-6-- These few pages are scarcely enough to cover adequately all that is attempted here--the long, creative life of Michelangelo, his multiple talents, and the Renaissance painters and patrons among whom he lived. Richmond wisely features just three of his greatest works. She contrasts the Pietas done at various times in Michelangelo's life, devotes a double-page spread to his David , and includes four pages on the restoration project underway on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The text is sandwiched in between large cut-outs of portions of Michelangelo's paintings, photographs of his sculpture, scenes from works by other artists, and period maps of Florence and Rome, all in full color. The result is an encyclopedic book, crowded with information, both visual and written, that's adequate for reports. Piero Ventura's Michelangelo's World (Putnam, 1989) lacks actual reproductions of the artist's works. Richmond's book is, therefore, a practical purchase. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Renaissance Italy unfolds handsomely here in this overview of the artist's life and work. Following a brief prologue printed over snippets from his oeuvre--a manuscript fragment, St. Peter's dome and the head of David all crumbling out of an ancient plaster wall--the master's 89 years are compellingly--if rapidly--presented in a well-chosen assortment of vignettes and historical asides. Groupings of elegant Medicis, stern popes and thriving city-states float across the pages in a glittering display of contemporary local talent, providing a historical context in which to better grasp Michelangelo's times and his influence on them. Richmond's ambitious text explores the influence of classical Greece and Rome, the symbiotic relationship between artists and their wealthy patrons and the Sistine Chapel restoration; only occasionally does her evocation of Michelangelo's world threaten to dwarf the artist. In the two pages devoted to David Michelangelo's light shines the most brightly, with no distractions. A well-done introduction for children and primer for future art appreciation classes. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A brief but attractive survey of the work of the sculptor and painter who's been described as the greatest ever, with a few biographical details--his early separation from his parents, his schooling with Ghirlandaio, his move from Lorenzo de' Medici's Florence to Rome, where papal demands created lifelong opportunities and frustrations. The background information on Renaissance Italy is too abbreviated to give a real sense of the artist's milieu, but at least it's an accurate outline. Best are the excellent color reproductions, of a good size even when several appear on a spread; there's a sampling of major works (the Piet…s; David; the Sistine ceiling, photographed after its recent facelift), as well as a good selection of complementary works by other artists--e.g., the Laoco”n, whose discovery had a major influence on the artist's work; a contemporary map of Florence; a photo of modern marble-cutters at Carrara. Captions are good, though present locations of artworks are omitted. An introduction (as the title suggests) but a good one. Index. (Nonfiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Little Brown & Co
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0316744409
• ISBN 13: 9780316744409
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32