The Lives of the Artists

An artist lives and acquires fame through his works; but with the passing of time, which consumes everything, these works—the first, then the second, and the third—fade away. After Plutarch’s Lives, Vasari’s Lives of the Artists is likely the most iconic collection of biographies of famous men. H......more

I took a Master's level Art History class on Giorgia Vasari at FSU a few years ago and this was the translation of the book that the professor wanted us to buy for the class. And for good reason. It's probably the most complete and accurate translation of Vasari's works out there and is downright af......more

This is a great book covering a selection of the Italian Renaissance artists from Vasari's Lives of the Artists. It is thoughtfully illustrated for its time and has some lovely additions such as portraits of each artist and a chapter on patrons. I recommend this edition over the usual paperback desp......more

My undergraduate degree is in Art History so I've read my fair share of Art History books. It was interesting to me the way he presented artists which was very different than any Art History book I've ever read. Most Modern Art Historians tell you why the artist is important and what he or she did f......more