Il papa e il suo pittore. Michelangelo e la nascita avventurosa della Cappella Sistina

Ross King tells the story of how Michelangelo came to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel between 1508 and 1512, drawn into the project by Pope Julius II, a warrior pope who wanted a monument. Michelangelo, a sculptor by training, was reluctant, argued with the Pope over payment and design, and worked on scaffolding through physical hardship while rivals, including Raphael, were also employed in the Vatican. King describes the technical process of fresco as well as the political conflicts.

It suits readers interested in the Renaissance, art history and the daily reality of a famous creative project. It reads as a narrative rather than an academic study, and should please both art lovers and general history readers.

Outward-looking and clear-cut; a moderate read.

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