I will be away for a bit, but want to thank you for your comments. For musical topics, you might wish to look at my books, Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera, and Classical Music 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Classical Music. While there are “Dummies” and “Idiot’s” books for people who want to learn just enough to get by, the 101 books are for intelligent people who may not have been exposed to the subject in question but are looking for a way to immerse deeply and meaningfully into opera or classical music. There are also books in the series, by other authors, on ballet and jazz. When I complete my Michelangelo book I will write Wine 101.

For further reading on Michelangelo: the Oxford World’s Classics book I recommended on his life, letters and poetry includes a pretty good translation of the Condivi biography, which is Michelangelo’s as-told-to autobiography. As you know, I have been avoiding reading scholars on aspects of Michelangelo and only going to primary sources so that my own point of view will be unsullied. I’ll be back one day soon.

Ciao, Fred

Since you traveling and all, you might miss this comment, but I’d just like to say how much I appreciate your stopping in and providing your insights and understandings. Thanks for saying how to get at the source materials. This is true quality information, and I for one would just love to hear more from you on any subject, but in particular, your Italianist passion lends itself to all sorts of possibilities. We haven’t had much talk about opera here, but I’m sure it would be a refreshing topic.

And for me, Michelangelo ranks among the gods. Thanks again.

About his writings and letters, there are numerous editions and translations, as well as good volumes in the original Italian. A recent, reader-friendly collection is published by Oxford and edited and translated by the late George Bull. A much older, more complete edition is the Symonds translation, although in some cases the gender of the object of Michelangelo’s affections is either changed or neutralized. I was familiar with the original quotation just from study, but I have not looked at it lately in the context of a letter.

I am about to set out again for another work trip and don’t have the time right now to comb through the letters and poems, but I do commend them to you.

Fred

I enjoyed Ross King’s books. Brunelleschi’s Dome is a good read, as is The Pope’s Ceiling. Both books contain inaccuracies and are written for general readers, but they are enjoyable and contain a lot of good information.

Fred,

Thanks for the reference for the quote. Of course, Michelangelo did lots and lots of writing! The quote Rex used is so widespread on the internet that I doubted the attribution. Can you provide a link to the letter where it appears, or more of the text to give the context?

I agree with your research approach. I did my research and wrote the first few drafts of my essay Michelangelo Drawings, Real or Fake? without even reading the exhibition catalogue, only by studying the real drawings in Haarlem. When I did the background reading, I got some surprises, but they were all good ones, confirming my findings. If I had read the catalogue first, I might never have had the idea for the essay. The funny thing was that the museum curators did not have any good defense to my arguments.

“A man’s [sic] reach should exceed his grasp, Else what’s a heaven for.” Robert Browning.

And I’m not sure how I feel about the syntax or even the analogy, but I certainly agree with the concept.

Again, great information. I totally understand your approach to research too. I also have a book I’m working on, and I’ve found myself dispensing with all the information but first hand accounts and archaeology. Not very scholarly of me, but definitely results in unfiltered vision.

Steve,

Not quite there yet on the photos, but a warming filter, direct frontal lighting, and no shirt are motivational things!

I have not read the Ross King book or most of the other recent books about Michelangelo, Leonardo and the rest of the gang for the simple reason that I wanted to pursue my primary research without being influenced by the work of others. I am fortunate to have been able to see every extant work by the artist and visit all of the places he is known to have lived and worked. Once I deliver my book I intend to read all of the authors (except Dan Brown) who have written about Renaissance artists.

I should clarify my first posting: Michelangelo objected to Vasari’s assertion that he learned to paint from Ghirlandaio and he gave his own version to Condivi in “The Life of Michelangelo.” But he maintained a friendship and correspondence with Vasari and I think it is fair to say now that he did learn from Ghirlandaio. But being the genius he was, his painting style became his own, just as his sculpting style was not imitative. But someone taught him to use scalpels, chisels and hammers and he never denied that.