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Michelangelo is universally recognized to be one of the greatest artists of all time. In this vividly written biography, William E. Wallace offers a substantially new view of the artist. Not only a supremely gifted sculptor, painter, architect, and poet, Michelangelo was also an aristocrat who firmly believed in the ancient and noble origins of his family. The belief in his patrician status fueled his lifelong ambition to improve his family's financial situation and to raise the social standing of artists. Michelangelo's ambitions are evident in his writing, dress, and comportment, as well as in his ability to befriend, influence, and occasionally say "no" to popes, kings, and princes.Written from the words of Michelangelo and his contemporaries, this biography not only tells his own stories but also brings to life the culture and society of Renaissance Florence and Rome. Not since Irving Stone's novel The Agony and the Ecstasy has there been such a compelling and human portrayal of this remarkable yet credible human individual.

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Customer Reviews (8)

The Syrian Bow
"Michelangelo, The Artist, the Man, and His Times" is a watershed event, marking a generational transformation in the way we think about the greatest artist of western civilization.This is important.We live in the shadow of Michelangelo.The relationship between creative people and wealthy, powerful patrons: the powerful coming (or should come) as supplicants to the creative--was established by Michelangelo, and ever since, western artists have, often unconsciously, modeled themselves on what they believe Michelangelo to have been like.

Relying on new scholarship, much of it his own (and some the result of exhaustive investigation by Rab Hatfield into Michelangelo's banking records), Wallace demolishes the myth that has grown up around (or instead of) the man.Where we were once asked to believe the artist was an aloof, grouchy, troubled, hypochondriacal loner given to rages and outbursts of violence, and a man wholly unable to work with others in any kind of joint project, Wallace shows, thoroughly and convincingly, that Michelangelo wry, funny, and likeable, was at the center of a large cadre of friends, family, and admirers.He was generous with his money, his time, his concern for others, and his advice.This was a man who could supervise teams of over three hundred construction workers during the initial building phases of the Laurentine Library, and who raised a four-year-old niece and later a nephew.Michelangelo playing with a little girl, on the floor drawing pictures of her feet with her is not the Michelangelo we have been given to expect.The various stories offered up by Vasari and others have been taken by other writers as historical truth.Wallace is careful to sift through the historical record and filter out suspiciously tall tales.

I advise anyone reading this book to also buy Wallace's "Michelangelo Sculpture Painting Architecture," a comprehensive "complete works" without the pretensions of the recent 14-pound Taschen footrest of a volume.Wallace's biography obviously can't supply the images he talks about.(This is a problem with all artist biographies.)

Wallace focuses on projects other writers skate past.When Michelangelo is coerced into creating a huge bronze statue of Pope Julius II in Bologna, a seated figure twelve feet tall, few writers have seemed to comprehend what a gigantic engineering challenge this was.Wallace makes clear the almost endless intense work involved in creating such a gigantic object.
Wallace is forced by the very nature of the subject to treat the Sistine ceiling in painfully few pages but here again, as with the bronze Julius, an entire book would be (and has been) required to cover the material.He limits himself to an overview of the ceiling and doesn't touch the complexities of its creation.But he scarcely could.It's too complex.I suggest watching "The Divine Michelangelo," in which Wallace participated.It can be found in sections on YouTube.

The book opens with narrative style, describing the Rome that Michelangelo at 21 would have seen as a near ruin, a far cry from the flourishing Florence, his homeland.It then commences a brisk and comprehensive retelling of the creation of the Bacchus (for Cardinal Riario) and the Pieta.Here Wallace is careful to say only what he knows.After explaining that the Bacchus was "eventually acquired" by the banker Jacopo Galli, and only suggesting (instead of asserting, as is usual) that Riario didn't like it, Wallace says that Michelangelo "spent five ducats on a piece of marble that proved to be bad, and then purchased another for five more ducats."No mention is made here of what that marble may have been used for, and this may be Wallace's way of avoiding the (for now) very unsettled issue of the Young Archer statue, currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and championed as a Michelangelo but by no means generally accepted as one.(I've seen it.It isn't.)

Later Wallace tells the almost universally accepted story that Michelangelo carved a "sleeping cupid" that so matched the antique in style that it was indistinguishable from an antique, apart from the fact that it was obviously brand new, and at the suggestion of a friend distressed and aged it so that he could "sell it more profitably."The cupid is said to have then been sold to Cardinal Riario as an antique.Riario, we have been told, somehow figured out he'd been duped; Michelangelo hurried to Rome to straighten matters out.Much has been made out of this story, especially by some current art historians looking for proof of Michelangelo's capacity and willingness to commit deliberate forgeries and pass them off as genuine antique statuary, but Wallace shrewdly suggests that this story, too, might be a fabrication.

This kind of responsible scholarly restraint is evident throughout the book.Where Vasari tells us that Michelangelo's friend (they were both teenagers) was exiled from Florence for breaking Michelangelo's nose, Wallace warns us that there may be "a hint of embellishment" here.Indeed.Tactful.

Throughout the Raiders-of-the-Lost-Ark-Final-Warehouse-Scene avalanche of literature on Michelangelo the "hint of embellishment" has been too often permitted to pollute our understanding of the man and his times.Wallace avoids all the pitfalls that Michelangelo himself warned of when he complained that an ambassador insisted on some kind of confession or apology the ambassador felt owed."My answer is that he has fashioned a Michelangelo of his own."Previous writers could have fashioned a Michelangelo out of facts, rather than one of their own.

Finally scholars, Wallace chief among them, are starting to cast overdue doubt on the more mythological claims, the hagiography, and whatever one might call the reverse of hagiography is (it's not exactly iconoclasm) and are bringing to light a real man whose accomplishments, in the now revealed ordinarinesses of his life, make his extraordinary accomplishments all the more astonishing.
I am loath to write in books, so it's a mark of a centrally important text when I find myself making notes in margins, or highlighting or dog-earing pages.My copy of "Michelangelo The Artist, the Man, and His Times" is covered with marginalia.

"Michelangelo, The Artist, the Man, and His Times" is a vital and seminal work.I cannot recommend it highly enough.

While seasoned Michelangelo scholars will read this book, it's also for students of the Italian Renaissance at all stages of expertise.Better to start off right to avoid unlearning the myths of lesser minds.

Michelangelo, the Genius

I am a keen reader of good biographies, and I have long wanted to read one of Michelangelo. This
book by William Wallace met my expectations. It is a very well written book about the artistic
genius most people in the western world know about.

The author uses correspondence between Michelangelo and others extensively in presenting a very
interesting portrait of Michelangelo, his life, devotion, genius and charater. The letters and
quotations seem to fit naturally and do not in anyway interfere with the beautiful flow of the
material.

One minor point that I found rather unwelcome was the author's frequent references to the subject's
death ahead of its time thus preventing some anticipation by the reader. Despite this shortcoming,
I found the book to be extremely well written. I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested
in reading about Michelangelo, one of the greatest artists who ever lived.

Many new ideas.
This book will remain a treasure of information about the man. Professor Wallace presents many new ideas. For example, he dispels the accepted characterization of the isolated anti-social genius and shows that Michelangelo indeed corresponded with thousands of people from the most humble worker to the most exalted of Rennaisance society. We learn of the long friendships and of the importance of family loyalty. Michelangelo always left lesser jobs for better opportunities and always mastered new mediums with remarkable speed. Wallace understands as few scholars do, that carving marble is a subtractive process, a one way street, one can correct only by taking away. The writing is often wonderful as when he describes the old sculptor and the Pieta Rondanini. As no other, Wallace has revealed the depth of faith of the artist who has given us so many profoundly religious works.

Michelangelo: The Artist, The Man and his Times
The life of Michelangelo is the most documented outside of Leonardo da Vinci, both in fiction and non-fiction, from the movie //The Agony and the Ecstasy// to the many books written on the life and art of Michelangelo, from the Sistine Chapel to David.Is there room for yet another biography on Michelangelo?William Wallace attempts to answer the main question.He only slightly answers the question.Mr. Wallace takes a more academic look at Michelangelo's life, from going out on his own instead of working in a traditional workshop, to supporting family and good friends.

The scholarship is sound; Mr. Wallace uses primary source documents when it is possible to take a look at the life and mind of Michelangelo.Mr. Wallace looks at the major works, and examines the impact that they had on Michelangelo and the culture of Renaissance Italy. The literature on Michelangelo is vast and dense, though not all of it good.There is not a lot of room for a new biography on Michelangelo; this is a good work it will have to fight for attention from the other works.

Reviewed by Kevin Winter

Non-finito
Since this book is entitled MICHELANGELO and subtitled THE ARTIST, THE MAN, AND HIS TIMES it would have been nice to have a portrait of the artist reproduced within its pages, especially the bronze bust done from life by one Daniele Da Volterra teasingly described at various points in the late pages of the book.It would have been a nice cover, instead of the Doni Tondo which for some inexplicable reason is given prominence on the book's dustjacket, designed by one Holly Johnson.Alot of Michelangelo's drawings and architectural works are vividly described yet not shown.What we do get by way of illustration are the same pictures we have seen a thousand times over of the Maestro's major works.If we are treated to images of these masterworks, might it be too much to want to see them from new angles?

Anyway, as to the book itself:William Wallace is a fine writer but herein relies too heavily on the letters of Michelangelo and his family and associates to tell the tale.While this is not bad in itself (as a matter-of-fact, quoting so extensively from the written record of Michelangelo does much towards bringing him to life), what is sorely absent in the rest of the book is scholarly speculation where written records are lacking.What I mean by this is that given that Mr. Wallace is presumably an "expert" on Michelangelo and his Art and his Times, it would have been so refreshingly nice to read some educated guesses as to Michelangelo's working methods on the Pieta and David and Moses, etc:were actual, living models used; were clay or wax models used and then enlarged via a size-ratio method; how did he keep his work from prying eyes; what were the actual techniques used in his marble sculpting?The first two-thirds of the book also lack in answering some basic questions that any casual reader might like to know the answers to, such as - what exactly is fresco painting?Why was Michelangelo wet-nursed by a stone cutter's wife as an infant?What was actually involved in the sculpting and casting of the Bologna bronze of Pope Julius - and what really became of it?(It was allegedly melted down by an invading army so as to make cannons - but this is not told in the book under discussion.) Who actually commissioned the David?Did Leonardo and Michelangelo exchange heated words in the Florentine streets, as related by Vasari or Condivi?Did they ever meet when doing preparatory work for the dual commissions for the Palazzo Vecchio? Leonardo was one of a committee who decided on the placement of the David - and even drew a sketch of it - yet nothing of the real interchange between these two titans is really addressed in this book.Raphael?Who's Raphael?Who truly conceived of the subject for the Sistine Ceiling?How was the scaffolding truly erected so that Michelangelo could paint?How big are the figures on the ceiling?What happened to the cartoons?How does a cartoon truly play into the making of a fresco?What did Florentines really think of David once it was unveiled - why was it not only hailed but also pelted with stones?When was it damaged when a bench was thrown out of a window knocking off the left arm?Who repaired it?The Pieta is behind bullet-proof glass now - yet we are not told why. In this book, Michelangelo works for years on David and the Sistine Ceiling and later the Last Judgement - yet "The Artist" part of the subtitle is practically breezed over.Was the Pieta an original conception?(I always thought it was - but it isn't - it just happens to be the best of a long line of Pieta-themed works.) Why is there a size disparity between Jesus and His Mother?Why does she look so young and what was Michelangelo's answer to this complaint?How did Michelangelo actually revolutionize the art world?Who truly influenced him?Did he secretly sign the Pieta by emphasizing the M in the folds of Mary's left hand - and only later, when the work was attributed to another, hurriedly sneak back into the church and erroneously carve his name across the Virgin Mother's sash? There is a mistake in the spelling of his own name - but we do not learn that fact herein - yet it lends credence to the story that the accentuated M in the palm was not enough to proclaim authorship to the viewing audience. What did the people of Rome really think when the Sistine Chapel - and Last Judgement - were finally unveiled to the world?Mention is constantly made of the work entitled The Risen Christ - yet what it is or who commissioned it aren't ever mentioned. And for a book that includes "His Times" in the subtitle, we learn actually very little of what was going on in the world during those times.The Lutheran Reformation is barely touched upon.Pope Julius and his ambitions never come to life at all. The Sack of Rome is covered in half-a-sentence. What was going on in the rest of the world as far as arts, science, politics, the New World?But judging from what we have, the book truly comes to lifeonly in the artist's later years - when the written record via letters comes into play - then the book truly (for me) comes alive.And that is my complaint:scholarly speculation could have done much towards making the preceding decades of the artist's life as rich and as vivid as the closing years and chapters.

I am glad that the author gives Michelangelo's poetry its just due (something another new biography of the artist does not do, sadly.) The book is an easy read - perhaps too much so - but...it could have been so much more.Of all three topics listed in the subtitle, the author succeeds best in delivering a portrait of Michelangelo the Man.But again, this is basically a depiction of the Maestro in his old age.

One day someone will trasmute Irving Stone's fictional biography into a historical masterwork and give us a complete Michelangelo.And as the Maestro advised so many of his restless brethren, I guess we'll just have to be "patient" until that time. ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Life of Wallace told in straightforward, powerful way.
Glenn Telfer's excellent book tells the story of the life of William Wallace (as featured in Braveheart). The book is written in an accessible form of the Scots language e.g. 'As lang as we live, as lang as Scotland isstill searchin for freedom, Wallace is wi us in oor heids an aye true inoor herts.' which really brings the story to life.This book is also idealfor use as a school textbook (it is used this way in Scotland) because ofthe interesting way the story is told. We have no hesitation inrecommending this book. [May, 1999] ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Volume: 1; Original Publisher: Printed for Constable; Publication date: 1830; Subjects: Scotland; Biography ... Read more

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Dramatic account of Scotland's greatest patriot recalls the legendary life of William Wallace (ca. 1270-1305) from his youth and early adulthood, when he spearheaded guerrilla warfare against the English, to his designation as "Guardian of Scotland," followed by his ultimate betrayal and execution. A vivid record of a leader with a powerful hold on the imagination of his people, this important book will be welcomed by students of history and admirers of the Scottish patriot.
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Customer Reviews (1)

William Wallace:Guardian Of Scotland
I thought that it was a very good book with a lot of good information that I did not have before on him. Would like to read more on him too.
Thank you ... Read more

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The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
Rich in titles on English life and social history, this collection spans the world as it was known to eighteenth-century historians and explorers. Titles include a wealth of travel accounts and diaries, histories of nations from throughout the world, and maps and charts of a world that was still being discovered. Students of the War of American Independence will find fascinating accounts from the British side of conflict.
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The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
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National Library of Scotland

T208243

The 'Relationes' have separate pagination, but the register is continuous.

Edinburgh : printed in the year, 1757. [2],403,[1],79,[1]p. ; 4° ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

wasicu beware
This is among many books and authors being cautioned against in the fight for protection of ceremonies. Beware exactly whom you are listening to or reading about. Their is a huge difference between the real elder and the "spiritual grandson". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wee quickie on Wallace that delivers
It's small and not meant to be comprehensive ( the title says it all), but in this thin book, there are makes of places to visit in Scotland, pictures, drawing and a good concise history of William Wallace.

This is perfect for anyone wanting to know without having to wade through large history.

I highly recommend it to younger people just getting interested in Wallace, or those venturing to Scotland in the hopes of walking in Wallace path. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Brilliant account of William Wallace
I decided to get a bio on Wallace having found out he was part of my heritage. What a briliant read this was! ... Read more

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Accessible to readers-useful to spcialists
Much as been written on Michelangelo. By 1970, the number of scholarly books and articles exceeded 4,000, approximately a tenth in English. In the past 25 years, the literature has grown exponentially, with a notable increase in English-language publications. The five-volume series reproduces some 100 articles in English, selected from a broad range of books and journals. The collection is both accessible to the general reader and useful to the specialist, offering a representative sample of old and new commentary on the artist and his work.

The career of a geniusArticles are arranged chronologically with separate volumes covering the artist's early life and works, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, commission associated with San Lorenzo, the tomb of Julius II and other Roman projects, and a final volume devoted to drawings, poetry, and miscellaneous studies. Spanning his entire 89-year life, the articles explore Michelangelo's prodigious creativity as an artist, thinker, and poet. The sheer quantity of what has been written on Michelangelo can be intimidating; most student have little sense of how to approach or effectively utilize the vast literature. By presenting a varied introduction to a great artist, this collection is a handy reference tool for a wide array of topics, problems, and literature. ... Read more

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Although this new work does discuss the role of the Eleventh in the various battles of the Civil War, the emphasis is on the human element of the war: how the soldiers felt, acted, and lived. The narrative allows us to follow the lives of these men, many ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The book was very good.It expressed the human view of war.
The book will appeal to a limited readership, primarily military historybuffs, with an interest in Illinois and its part in the Civil War. It isvery detailed and descriptive, well researched, it covers Fort Donelson,Shiloh, Vicksburg, Sabine Crossroads and the fall of Mobile. What makes itof particular interest is that it is the only book on the Civil War thatfolows the life of General Thomas Ransom and General William Wallace.Itchronicles the Eleventh Illinois Infantry from the first skirmish to thefinal battle. ... Read more

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The involvement of non-state actors in world politics can hardly be characterized as novel, but intensifying economic and social exchange and the emergence of new modes of international governance have given them much greater visibility and, many would argue, a more central role. Non-State Actors in World Politics analyzes a diverse range of economic, social, legal (and illegal), old and new actors, such as the Catholic Church, trade unions, diasporas, religious movements, transnational corporations and organized crime. ... Read more

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This third anthology in the immensely popular series contains magnificent erotic selections of paintings and drawings, sculpture and photos, poetry and prose, all chosen to stimulate and amuse. This final volume, like its predecessors, celebrates our rich sexual inheritance in words and images. Above all, it's about the fun and enjoyment of sex. ... Read more

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Bill Wallace served as a medical missionary in China for nearly twenty years before dying as a martyr for his faith. His story has inspired Christians throughout the world.

Dr. Wallace was buried in an unmarked grave by the Communist Army to cover their crime. Chinese Christians later would risk their own lives to place a simple marker where he was laid to rest that read, "To live is Christ."Rarely has a grave marker so accurately summarized a life.But then, rarely has a person's life so exemplified the principle expressed in Philippians 1:21, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Bill Wallace was an ordinary man who, in the providence of God, lived an extraordinary life.He was willing to forgo marriage and family; a prominent career; and a comfortable future in America for the sake of ministering to people in need.His service brought physical and spiritual healing to countless people.

Dr. Wallace lived a life worth examining and emulating. His story will challenge you to a deeper dedication and clearer awareness of the will of God for your life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Book On Bill Wallace
Hi,

I received my book in due time and it was in the condition described by the seller. This biography is about one of my Grandfather's first cousins so I have purchased several copies from different people on this site and all have been good.

Thanks for the timely service and living up to the condition as described.

Patty Jackson

Bill Wallace of China
Bill Wallace was the first cousin of my Grandfather, Raymond Wallace, so this book was a great resource for my children and grandchildren and the understanding they will have of how dangerous our missionaries have it in foreign lands. The love of God and people has to motivate one to sacrifice family and life to answer the calling of our Lord to service. I love and appreciate all the men and women who do this daily without thinking of self. I wish andpray that we all appreciate our religious freedom in America and don't take it for granted.

A Real Brave Heart
In a recent chapel sermon at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Paige Patterson recommended reading "Bill Wallace of China." Most people know of William Wallace of Scotland through Mel Gibson's movie "Braveheart," but relatively few have heard of William Wallace of China. What a shame. . . .

I have had this book in my personal library for several decades but it never seemed to make its way to the top of the "next to be read" stack of books that I keep by my bedside. Like most booklovers I have a problem . . . a big problem . . . well, an obsession - - - I buy more books than I can read. If I started reading right now and read twelve hours a day for the rest of my life I would not be able to read even half of the books in my personal library. So, it is not uncommon for me to own but neglect a book. I regret that I neglected this book as long as I did.

When Dr. Patterson recommended this book I had just finished reading Homer Hickam's book "The Coalwood Way" (which, by the way is a great read), so to paraphrase Augustine, "I heard the voice on the other side of the wall calling out `Pick up the book and read.'"

As a young man in Tennessee Bill Wallace felt called of God to prepare for service as a medical missionary. After completing his preparations he was appointed by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) to serve in Southern China. Nothing so amazing there, . . . so why the book? Wallace served in China during the Boxer Rebellion, the Japanese invasion during World War II, and in the subsequent revolutionary war when the Communists wrested control from the Nationalists.

The book is full of drama, intrigue, and suspense. Without those elements the book would not succeed. But, what makes the book compelling is that the reader experiences Wallace in a similar fashion as did the Chinese people. The reader, like the Chinese, is introduced to the quiet unassuming Wallace, gradually comes to like Wallace, then respect him, love him and finally finds that Wallace's life story compels both introspection and committed personal action.

I add my voice to Patterson's in recommending this book. The book is a quick read, but the reader will take much away from it in terms of clearly defined informational content as well as a tacit knowledge that drives volitional intent.

A Great Missionary/Doctor Story
This is a great little story of a missionary who was arrested as the Communists took over China. When he was arrested the Communist could not find one local person to testify anything against Wallace's character.When you read this book, you will see why. ... Read more

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Here is a complete, modern guide to making 45 different explosives for unconventional warfare applications. Includes vital safety guidelines, step-by-step procedures, a breakdown of explosive components, explosives to avoid, a useful glossary and more. For academic study only. ... Read more

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re-re-re-reeeeeee
Don't buy this book.U could lose your hearing if u d

excellent source book
If you need information on the various types of explosives and the does and don'ts buy this book.

Excellent for educating law enforcement ... Read more