Michelangelo : 1475-1564 : the graphic work

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Graphic Abundance

Architectural and figure drawings of the divino

Very few artists can claim such lasting and worldwide fame and importance as Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564). The nickname il divino (« the divine one ») has been applied to him since the 1530s, and still is. Michelangelo's achievements as a sculptor, painter and architect remain unparalleled to this day. His creations are among the best-known artworks in the world.

This new edition in our Bibliotheca Universalis series is devoted to the artist's graphic work. Be it incomplete or elaborated down to the last detail, be it a tiny sketch or a huge cartoon, be it a standalone artwork or a working study : every single drawing bears witness to Michelangelo's passionate eye for the human being, to his masterly command of line, form and detail - in short, to that typically Michelangelesque Renaissance humanism.

The architectural and figure drawings - today dispersed among museums and private collections all over the world - demonstrate the ambition and the scope of his work. They allow us to look over Michelangelo's shoulder at the moment of inspiration and to grasp his creativity while his creations were still taking shape.

A chapter with a compilation of newly attributed and re-attributed drawings provides further insights into Michelangelo's varied graphic oeuvre. Another theme addressed by the author is how we actually know in the first place how Michelangelo went about his drawing - for of the more than 550 drawings illustrated, only one is signed.

To this extent, this book is not just an introduction to the aesthetic and intellectual enjoyment of the drawings, but also to academic Michelangelo criticism.

« This book meets TASCHEN's high standards for producing detailed, well-researched and beautifully constructed examinations of art and culture. »
- The Washington Times