Michael Angelo Buonarroti With Translations Of The Life Of The Master By His Scholar, Ascanio Condivi, And Three Dialogues From The Portugese By Francisco d'Ollanda

This translation brings to life the intimate portrait of Michelangelo that his closest friend and pupil, Ascanio Condivi, recorded in 1553. Unlike Vasari’s grander narratives, Condivi writes with a personal touch, echoing the master’s own words and offering details of his early years, family background, and the studio atmosphere that shaped his genius. Listeners will hear vivid descriptions of the artist’s demeanor, his meticulous working methods, and the gentle rivalry that colored his relationships with contemporaries.

The volume also includes a useful appendix that surveys Michelangelo’s most celebrated projects, drawing on contracts, letters, and contemporary observations to illuminate how each masterpiece was conceived and executed. Added are three Portuguese dialogues that showcase the broader cultural impact of the Renaissance master, providing a fascinating glimpse of how his ideas were discussed beyond Italy. Together, these texts offer scholars and curious listeners a rare, straightforward window into the man behind the marble and frescoes, without the later legends that often obscure his true story.