#31: The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy by Jacob Burckhardt

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100 books, book review, books, classics, history, Italy

After the excitement of my Jeopardy! appearance last week and a few days without my laptop (thanks to a defective power cord), I finally return to the actual mission of this blog– reading.  I am playing catch up a bit, as I finished number thirty-one last Thursday.  After a string of novels I decided to go for something more academic.  I settled on Jacob Burckhardt’s seminal work of history, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy.

Burckhardt’s Civilization of the Renaissance is a watershed moment in the treatment of the Renaissance.  Earlier books about this period tended to focus on the great individuals.  Burckhardt changed that by presenting a work of cultural history.  Rather than focusing on specific individuals and their deeds, he focused on cultural trends and societal developments.  The result is both informative and engaging.  Burckhardt explores the Italian Renaissance in a systematic way, considering the development of the state, the individual, the revival of antiquity, advances in science and literature, secular society, and the changing nature and role of religion.  Although more recent books include more depth in certain areas (particularly economics), Burckhardt remains the standard.  What Edward Gibbon is to the end of the Roman Empire, Burckhardt is to the Italian Renaissance.

The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy is a tremendously informative book.  Burckhardt presents a wealth of information to be consumed by the willing reader.  I learned a great deal and enjoyed the book very much.  That said, there are a few cautionary words I should offer.  First, go into this book prepared to look up various historical figures and facts.  Burckhardt assumes a certain depth of knowledge regarding the Italian Renaissance, and the uninformed reader can get confused.  Despite being reasonably well-studied in this era, I found it necessary to look up many things as i read.  Second, the translation used in my edition (the Modern Library edition from 2002) and every other English edition I can find is that of S.G.C. Middlemore from 1878.  While the book is very engaging, the translation is rendered in Victorian English and comes across a bit stilted at times.  A modern translation would be a welcome gift from the literary gods.  Even with these two caveats, I would highly recommend this book to any individual interested in the Italian Renaissance.  It was an era that continues to exert an influence on our own and is well worth studying.

The Current Count

31 Read, 69 To Go

#8: Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King

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100 books, art, book review, books, history, Michelangelo

The celebrated German writer Goethe once said that “Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving.”  Michelangelo Buonarroti’s fresco cycle on the Sistine ceiling is an accomplishment that transcends the artistic.  It is a landmark achievement that has become deeply embedded in the fabric of Western culture.  Many of the individual elements of the frescoes have become celebrated works of art in their own rights.  The ceiling as a whole is a staggering example of Michelangelo’s talent and willpower.  In honor of Michelangelo’s 537th birthday this past Tuesday, I decided to read a book about my favorite artist (and my favorite ninja turtle).

Ross King’s Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling tells the story of how Michelangelo, renowned as a sculptural genius but inexperienced as a frescoist, came to paint the single greatest artwork ever created.  It features a cast of characters that includes the warrior-pope Julius II, artistic greats Leonardo and Raphael, and a host of priests, kings, and noblemen.  King’s writing is entertaining and the book is well researched.  It very clearly relies more on the scholarship of others than that of the author, but King weaves all of the various elements of the story together in a highly engaging manner.  The book is a popular history rather than an academic one and should be judged accordingly.  As a popular history, this book excels. 

Ultimately, the star of the book is Michelangelo.  His accomplishments in the Sistine Chapel are simply incredible.  Add to that his various sculptural, architechtural, and pictoral works, and you have greatest artist of all time.  King’s book destroys the romantic image of a solitary Michelangelo slaving away on his back (he had a team of assistants and was able to stand while painting), but the real story is even more interesting.  I have read quite a few books on Michelangelo (both academic and popular), and King’s is one of the most entertaining.  If you have an academic interest in Michelangelo, there are more thorough treatments, but for the amateur enthusiast King’s book is an excellent choice.

The Current Count:

8 Read, 92 To Go