From one of Britainrsquo;s most respected and acclaimed art historians; art critic of The Guardianmdash;the galvanizing story of a sixteenth-century clash of titans; the two greatest minds of the Renaissance; working side by side in the same room in a fierce competition: the master Leonardo da Vinci; commissioned by the Florentine Republic to paint a narrative fresco depicting a famous military victory on a wall of the newly built Great Council Hall in the Palazzo Vecchio; and his implacable young rival; the thirty-year-old Michelangelo. We see Leonardo; having just completed The Last Supper; and being celebrated by all of Florence for his miraculous portrait of the wife of a textile manufacturer. That paintingmdash;the Mona Lisamdash;being called the most lifelike anyone had ever seen yet; more divine than human; was captivating the entire Florentine Republic.And Michelangelo; completing a commissioned statue of David; the first colossus of the Renaissance; the archetype hero for the Republic epitomizing the triumph of the weak over the strong; helping to reshape the public identity of the city of Florence and conquer its heart.In The Lost Battles; published in England to great acclaim (ldquo;Superbrdquo;mdash;The Observer; ldquo;Beguilingly writtenrdquo;mdash;The Guardian); Jonathan Jones brilliantly sets the scene of the timemdash;the politics; the world of art and artisans; and the shifting; agitated cultural landscape. We see Florence; a city freed from the oppressive reach of the Medicis; lurching from one crisis to another; trying to protect its liberty in an Italy descending into chaos; with the new head of the Republic in search of a metaphor that will make clear the glory that is Florence; and seeing in the commissioned paintings the expression of his vision.Jones reconstructs the paintings that Leonardo and Michelangelo undertookmdash;Leonardorsquo;s Battle of Anghiari; a nightmare seen in the eyes of the warrior (it became the first modern depiction of the disenchantment of war) and Michelangelorsquo;s Battle of Cascina; a call to arms and the first great transfiguration of the erotic into art. Jones writes about the competition; how it unfolded and became the defining moment in the transformation of ldquo;craftsmanrdquo; to ldquo;artistrdquo;; why the Florentine government began to fall out of love with one artist in favor of the other; and howmdash;and whymdash;in a competition that had no formal prize to clearly resolve the outcome; the battle became one for the hearts and minds of the Florentine Republic; with Michelangelo setting out to prove that his work; not Leonardorsquo;s; embodied the future of art. Finally; we see how the result of the competition went on to shape a generation of narrative paintings; beginning with those of Raphael. A riveting exploration into one of historyrsquo;s most resonant exchanges of ideas; a rich; fascinating book that gives us a whole new understanding of an age and those at its center.
#850735 in eBooks 2012-08-28 2012-08-28File Name: B007UPGKEI
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Art of Shopping BeautifullyBy Shammari Hookldquo;Scatter My Ashes At Bergdorf Goodmanrdquo; is a fun. witty. engaging and style infused reading experience. where one may drop into the iconic Manhattan department store through the tales. memories. insights and meanings offered by various tastemakers. socialites. artists and fashion fanatics. The book details intimate musings and contemplations of individuals who often describe their initial encounter with the magical space. their relationship and inspirations with Bergdorfrsquo;s that shaped their own artistic and fashion careers and their deep love. joy and contentment through their relationship and memories of the famous address.15 of 16 people found the following review helpful. A Delight. But Give Us More!By Paige TurnerThis book. like the store. is a delight!This amazing little book covers the history of the Bergdorfs and is full of great quotes and short vignettes about famous shoppers. Like Berdorf Goodman itself. it is high quality. beautiful and expensive. But it is a little treasure and worth the money. The illustrations and photos are magnificent.I only have two complaints. First. the book is only about 6.5" x 8.25" and would be better in a larger format. to more fully express the visual beauty of the photographs. My second complaint is that there are not enough photographs. There are actually very few shots from inside the store itself. There are not nearly enough photos of their lovely window displays.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Perfection. Is Bergdorf GoodmanBy CCNYThere used to be a number of faboulous international womens fashion boutiques. which carried the very very best and unique designs for the stylish and descerning woman with great taste. Bergdorf Goodmans was always at the top of the list. The staff knew and catered to you individually. and catered to your individual style.I purchased the book with several of my friends.whom I knew had the feelings about this treasured. intreging and historical momument to women great style and grace. And. to the Goodman Family. who had such foresight in creating this long lasting elegant institution.My friends and have been having a love affair with Bergdorf Goodman for many years! One of them has said. "As soon as I arrive in New York City from Los Angeles. CA. I run directly to Bergdorfs!!!"
