- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Headline Review; New edition edition (7 July 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0747235953
- ISBN-13: 978-0747235958
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,601,151 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Anton Gill's Il Gigante: Michelangelo, Florence and the "David", 1492-1504 retells the story of the politically volatile and artistically vibrant city of Florence at the turn of the 16th century. The book covers the period "between the death of Lorenzo de' Medici in April 1492 through to the placing of Michelangelo's early masterpiece of sculpture, his David, in the Piazza della Signoria in summer, 1504". However, although the second half of the book focuses more closely on Michelangelo's artistic genius and the creation of the David, Gill's general aim is to re-create the artistic spirit of Florence as the epicentre of the Renaissance, "an age of dawning rationalism", and personified in the art of Botticelli, Leonardo and, of course, Michelangelo.
Gill has a good feeling for the political sweep of the period, and breezes through Medici rule, the rise of Savonarola, the Borgia to tell a story of papal corruption and political instability, which attempts to locate Michelangelo himself in the midst of a rapidly changing world. However, this is an old story, of both the Renaissance and Michelangelo. Even as an introduction to both the period and the artists, Il Gigante is breathtakingly general, with absolutely no concern with or reference towards the recent generations of classic books written on Florentine politics and art. As a result, Gill's story loses sight of Michelangelo's remarkable statue, which could do with a readable new study of its origins and creation. Sadly Gill's book does not achieve this. It is old-fashioned and ill informed, even for a reader new to the topic. --Jerry Brotton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
At the start of the 16th century, Italy was a turbulent territory made up of independent states, each at war with or intriguing against its neighbour. In the midst of this turmoil, there existed the greatest concentration of artists that Europe has ever known. Influenced by the rediscovery of the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome, artists and thinkers threw off the shackles of the Middle Ages to produce one of the most creative periods in history - the Renaissance. This is the story of 12 years when war, plague, famine and chaos made their mark on volatile Italy, and when a young, erratic genius, Michelangelo Buonarroti, made his great statue - the David. It was to become a symbol not only of the independence and defiance of the city of Florence, but also of the tortured soul who created it.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've seen a few bad reviews of this book, although I enjoyed it. I think it's just badly titled. If you only want to read about Michelangelo's David, then you'll find 95% of the book very dull indeed, so I can understand some people's disappointment. However, if, like me, you're interested in the Florentine Renaissance as a whole and enjoy reading about the background, people and politics of that time, then you'll probably really like it.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is hugely disappointing.
Far too much of the text is taken up by a rather indifferent potted history of wars, politics, alliances as the different parties struggled for power in Italy, and Florence in particular.
Eventually , in the latter third of the book, you get closer to the purported subject of Il Gigante. Even then, what you learn from this book is measurably less than you would get from any art book dealing with Florentine art, and miles behind anything in a book specific to Michelangelo's sculpture.
There are 8 pages of fairly ordinary colour plates - about the level of picture postcards from the Uffizzi - and the back and white pictures are poorly reproduced.
Before buying this book, look at the Amazon " in-house" review. I wish that I had done so before wasting my money on this
Far too much of the text is taken up by a rather indifferent potted history of wars, politics, alliances as the different parties struggled for power in Italy, and Florence in particular.
Eventually , in the latter third of the book, you get closer to the purported subject of Il Gigante. Even then, what you learn from this book is measurably less than you would get from any art book dealing with Florentine art, and miles behind anything in a book specific to Michelangelo's sculpture.
There are 8 pages of fairly ordinary colour plates - about the level of picture postcards from the Uffizzi - and the back and white pictures are poorly reproduced.
Before buying this book, look at the Amazon " in-house" review. I wish that I had done so before wasting my money on this
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Excellent.
11 Sep 2006
Format:Hardcover
I was on the east coast of the U.S., on Cape Cod, several years ago, making my way to Florence for a week. This was to be my first trip to Florence [though not to Italy]. I was trying to decide on a good book to read while in Florence, just as I happened by a local little bookstore on the street in which I was walking. As I glanced in the window, there was Anton Gill's "Il Gigante."
At that moment I had no doubt that this was the book for me to read on my Italian excursion.
I read Gill's book as I was walking the streets of Florence, able to sit in a square upon which Michelangelo once strode, visit the many churches in which he worked, and sit for an afternoon in the Acdemia where `David' now resides.
I found Anton gill's book to be full of fascinating details not only about Michelangelo, but about the creation of art in the early renaissance. Intermingled with stories about Michelangelo's `David' there are tales of politics and rivalries, patrons and intrigue. It was incredible to be able to read about the history of Michelangelo's commission's as I was viewing them with my own eyes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and I would highly recommend reading it while in a café on the streets of Florence.
At that moment I had no doubt that this was the book for me to read on my Italian excursion.
I read Gill's book as I was walking the streets of Florence, able to sit in a square upon which Michelangelo once strode, visit the many churches in which he worked, and sit for an afternoon in the Acdemia where `David' now resides.
I found Anton gill's book to be full of fascinating details not only about Michelangelo, but about the creation of art in the early renaissance. Intermingled with stories about Michelangelo's `David' there are tales of politics and rivalries, patrons and intrigue. It was incredible to be able to read about the history of Michelangelo's commission's as I was viewing them with my own eyes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and I would highly recommend reading it while in a café on the streets of Florence.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Interesting but not really informative
5 Feb 2011
Format:Paperback
Anton Gil's style of writing is rather purple and full of dripping fanboyism. I was somewhat put off by his casual dismissal of women and changing attitudes towards their clothing and appearance in his rush to gush on Il Magnifico. His constant denigration of the Middle Ages and comparison of the Renaissance to the rising sun became tedious and annoying.
It takes Gil 75 pages to even get to the birth of Michelangelo: a good third of the book spent extolling the virtues of the Medicis. Sadly I think he fell into the pit of wanting to write about someone about whom there is not much extant information on. Consequently the book drifts into long tangents on other people and Cliffs Notes views of the politics of the time.
It's a good read and a page turner but is it history? I don't think so...
It takes Gil 75 pages to even get to the birth of Michelangelo: a good third of the book spent extolling the virtues of the Medicis. Sadly I think he fell into the pit of wanting to write about someone about whom there is not much extant information on. Consequently the book drifts into long tangents on other people and Cliffs Notes views of the politics of the time.
It's a good read and a page turner but is it history? I don't think so...
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Nice cover poor contents
19 Nov 2003
Format:Hardcover
This book tells us about almost everything but little about the David.
The author has selected info from various books and tells well known stories.
Very disappointing
The author has selected info from various books and tells well known stories.
Very disappointing
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