Lives of the most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 10 (of 10) Bronzino to Vasari, & General Index.

The last volume of Vasari’s celebrated biographies guides listeners through the flourishing artistic community of Renaissance Florence, opening with the painter Agnolo Bronzino. It blends concise life stories of painters, sculptors, and architects with more than five hundred monochrome illustrations that bring each work to life. An extensive index of names and a general index for the whole series help you navigate the interconnected world of the Medici’s creative circle.

Vasari portrays Bronzino as a devoted disciple of Pontormo, noting how the young artist’s early frescoes in the Certosa and the chapel of Lodovico Capponi reveal a deft handling of religious narrative and portraiture. He also follows Bronzino’s move to Pesaro, where patronage from Duke Guidobaldo produced court portraits and decorative vault paintings that earned him a reputation across Italy. Along the way the volume introduces peers such as Bartolommeo Panciatichi and Giovanni Bologna, situating their achievements within the broader currents of Renaissance design.