Sayonara, Michelangelo: The Sistine Chapel Restored And Repackaged

Januszczak, Waldemar

ISBN 10: 0201523957 / ISBN 13: 9780201523959

Published by Da Capo Press, 1990

The book is in good condition with all pages and cover intact, including the dust jacket if originally issued. The spine may show light wear. Pages may contain some notes or highlighting, and there might be a "From the library of" label. Boxed set packaging, shrink wrap, or included media like CDs may be missing. Seller Inventory # BSM.14KJM

Synopsis:

Recounts Michelangelo's creation of the Sistine Chapel ceiling and discusses modern efforts to restore the artwork

Reviews: Nippon TV, a Japanese channel best known for its quiz shows and baseball coverage, underwrote the cleaning and restoration of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescoes in return for exclusive media rights to the restored ceiling. The "bright, light, colorful, and uplifting Renaissance spectacle" emerging from the ongoing restoration has helped replace the myth of a "grim, black, troubled" Michelangelo as agonized godlike sufferer, with the impression of a down-to-earth artist, clear-eyed and rational. This delightfully irreverent, psychologically astute on-the-scene report gives us a Michelangelo who took shortcuts, repeated himself and eradicated his mistakes, a snob who tried to cover up his origins, tolerated no competitors and was obsessed with money. Arts editor for a British TV network, Januszczak throws a sharp light on art world politics, Renaissance studies and the Japanese yen for Western culture. The book, however, would have benefited from illustrations.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Despite the author's credentials as former art and literary critic for The Guardian , readers will find no serious exposition of fact here. Flip commentary posing as criticism alternates with fiction, movie dialog, episodes of torture, and emphasis on sexual practices and prowess. There is real controversy over the 1980s conservation and cleaning of the Sistine Chapel, sponsored by a Japanese TV network, but Januszcak does little more than muddy the issues while supporting the results. Not recommended as art criticism.
- Mary Hamel - Schwulst, Towson State Univ., Md.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Sayonara, Michelangelo: The Sistine Chapel ...
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Publication Date: 1990
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: good