Destination: Rome
Book: Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King
A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome by Angela K. Nickerson
Number one on my Italian travel agenda: Rome. Number one in Rome: The Sistine Chapel.
After a lifetime of seeing pictures of those outstretched index fingers, I wanted to see the rest. Not a bad painting for a guy who thought he was a sculptor.What a delight to find a book that unveils all the religious, political and artistic mechanics behind one of the world’s greatest masterpieces. Michelangelo, to put it mildly, was a complex human being, and the book, Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling captures the complexity of this genius along with the age in which he lived. The book’s 384 pages may have more details about, say, the mixing of colors, than some readers can tolerate, but I loved every fussy, gossipy moment of it. I went to Rome fully prepared to see the Sistine Chapel with an educated eye, thanks to this addition to my travel library. And on the morning I had scheduled to go to the Vatican, I fell ill. Oh well, there is always next time. I hope.
And next time, I will expand beyond the Pope’s ceiling by reading A. K. Nickerson’s A Journey into Michaelangelo’s Rome (2008), which was published after my last trip to Italy. See her video on You Tube.
Have you seen the Ceiling? What impressions did you carry away?
And if you want to share your love of Michelangelo and Italy, click a share button below.
PDF Tags: A.K. Nickerson, Italy, Michelangelo, Rome, Ross King, Sistine Chapel, Vatican
I really enjoyed this book, as well as King’s book about Brunelleschi and the dome of the Florence cathedral. What surprised me about the Sistine Chapel were the wall frescoes of other clearly recognizable Renaissance artists. I’d always heard Michelangelo associated with the Sistine Chapel – never other artists! It was a delight to recognize Botticelli and others’ work.
… sorry, should be “frescoes BY other clearly recognizable …”
I love Ross King’s book.
As for the Sistine — there are no words…
I agree with Pamposh….there are no words.
To stand in the Sistine Chapel literally took my breathe away. I found myself holding my breathe as I tried to take it all in. Hundreds of people surround you…but are almost silent. Thankfully they are silent because with so much to appreciate it would be hard to concentrate if they weren’t.
I stumbled on your blog tonight and have to say that I love it. You’ve combined my two great loves in life in your blog…why didn’t I think of this?
Twitter: pen4hire
says:
I need to read Brunelleschi’s Dome, but I’m almost afraid to. I loved Florence so much, I could wander among that wonderful art and architecture for months. And of course I’m hoping for better luck next time in Rome–actually getting inside the Sistine Chapel. I hear the Vatican has made it easier to make reservations on line, and added hours to help stem the crowds. Rick Steves wrote about it.