Paintings in the Vatican
Written by directors of various Vatican Museum collections, this splendid catalog of the monumental collection housed within the walls of the Vatican offers insight into the political, social, and aesthetic history of Vatican City. The works described include those more familiar frescoes and altarpieces created specifically for the decoration of Papal apartments, Apostolic Palaces, the Sistine Chapel, Raphael Stanze, and the Borgia Apartments as well as works that have been unavailable for public viewing. The great accomplishment here is the listing of all works in chronological order, regardless of physical location, to create a comprehensive historical catalog of what is one of the world's greatest collections. The color plates are fresh and bright and the short biographies of the artists are excellent. A fine combination of scholarship and elegant production and at a reasonable price?quite a rarity these days?this is essential for academic and art libraries and belongs in most public collections.?Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New YorkCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.