Young Michelangelo, The Path to the Sistine, A Biography
I’ve read The Agony and The Ecstasy by American Author Irving Stone and LOVED it. Wow – that book really draws one to study the art of Michelangelo in Italy! I have been very fortunate to be able to do just that! More can be found out about my story of participating in a three month Study Abroad program under the “Study Abroad, Who Me?!” tag of this site! I also was very fortunate to have traveled to Italy twice before my study abroad experience – including spending time in Florence. At the Uffizi, I picked up the book Artists Life, Michelangelo by Enrica Crispino and used it as a reference. It’s helpful when reading a particular book that mentions Michelangelo’s pieces to see a photo of the actual work!
I first saw the Young Michelangelo book on a visit to the Met in NYC. The cover caught my attention immediately – the expression on the face of the statue of David is so incredible! Also, the sophisticated gray, white, and yellow color scheme is so chic! I immediately took a photograph to add the book to my Christmas wish list- thanks, Dad!!
For any fan of Michelangelo I would recommend this clearly written, well-researched book. The author, John T. Spike, paints a picture of Michelangelo’s early life using the most recently available documents from his life as well as those of the influential historical figures around him, such as Pope Julius II. Coupled with contextualizing key events in Italian and European history, I felt like I could imagine a bit of what this great artist’s early life and career was like!
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