http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/43997830

Michelangelo : drawings: closer to the master

One of the most creative and influential artists in the history of art, Michelangelo (1475-1564) was a prolific sculptor, painter, architect, and draftsman whose drawing practice was essential to his work in all media. This important and beautiful book focuses on more than ninety Michelangelo drawings executed in red and black chalk and pen and ink. In the accompanying text, distinguished art historian Hugo Chapman examines the remarkable array of works and discusses how the act of drawing figured prominently in the evolution of Michelangelo's career. An introductory chapter discusses Michelangelo's contemporary fame, his training and choice of techniques, and the role of drawing in the genesis of his paintings, sculptures, and architecture. The author also describes the artist's frugal use of paper, explaining how he often recycled letters and drawings (working on both the front and back of the sheet) throughout his career. Organized chronologically, the book looks at Michelangelo's early development in Florence and Rome, his accomplishments as papal artist for the Sistine Chapel ceiling with its preparatory studies, and his drawings for the tomb of Julius II, the Medici tombs, the Laurentian library, and the Last judgement. The fascinating history of the fate of Michelangelo's drawings after his death is also explored in detail. From pen studies made when Michelangelo was in his early twenties to the visionary Crucifixion scenes carried out shortly before his death six decades later, this essential book testifies to the fundamental importance of drawing in the work of this great Renaissance master.--Book jacket.

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