Michaelangelo

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stanley, Diane. Michelangelo. Hong Kong: South China Printing, 2000.

PLOT SUMMARY
Michelangelo is a “cradle to grave” account of this renowned artist. The plot guides the reader from the early years of turmoil with his own father, through his first patrons, the long and arduous relationship and work for Pope Julius II. Among his greatest works are the stone sculptors of the Pieta and David and the monumental work of art on the Sistine Chapel for Julius as well as the “tragedy of the tomb” that wrecked his life and was never completed.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Stanley provides much detail about the coming and going of Michelangelo, his work, accomplishments and challenges, which were many. Facts are valid and documented through a bibliography. Some of the illustrations were manipulated on the computer and a few pictures were reprinted photographs. Other illustrations are large and full, depicted in a clear and concise manner. The organization of the text and plot are quite clear and follow the pattern of his life exclusively. The author is very well researched and informed, giving much information. Michelangelo can be seen for his wondrous achievements and his tormented life. This book would be better suited for strong readers in the upper elementary grades or middle school. Although it appears to be a picture book, the text is full of information and is more than the typical 32 pages of a true picture book.

REVIEWS
Kirkus starred (July 1, 2000)
“Building on strong preparatory research, Stanley, like the best adult biographers, distills the culture, history, politics, and aesthetic of this unique era. Stanley particularly excels in selecting and integrating just enough contexts and detail to assure a genuine, empathetic treatment. Indeed, she weaves all the major elements of Michelangelo's long and astonishingly creative life into a compelling, anecdote-rich narrative: his country childhood with a wet-nurse and her stonecutter husband; early apprenticeships with the fresco painter Ghirlandaio and the sculptor Bertoldo; his "adoption" by Lorenzo de' Medici of Florence and the benefits of long-term friendships with the Medici family members; his early and dramatic successes with the Pietà and the David; the patronage of Pope Julius II, which led to the Sistine Chapel ceiling and the astonishing Moses; work on the Medici Chapel, the Sistine Chapel's Last Judgement, St. Peter's in Rome (not completed in his lifetime); and finally, his peaceful death at 89. “

Horn Book (November/December, 2000)
“Once again, biographical information is presented in an engaging manner with details selected not only to reveal the subject's character but also to whet the reader's interest, recounting the fight that gave Michelangelo "the crumpled nose of a prizefighter," for example.”

“Care is also given to the correction of popular misconceptions: Michelangelo did not lie on his back while painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; he stood on a scaffolding and painted looking upward-an equally uncomfortable position.”

CONNECTIONS
This book is an art teacher’s dream! The author provides great insight to the preparation of materials and the mind before beginning a monumental work of art.

As a side bar, there are plenty of references to what is happening in the world around Michelangelo, including the influence of the Catholic church at the time.

History of the Italian Renaissance could be a spring board from this book, as well.