At the end 2018 I won’t be surprised if this book has made it to my list of top ten reads of the year. Rowland and Charney have helped me release many prejudices and misinformation about Vasari and about fifteen century art. They put into context how art, the lives of artists, and the social and political situation in Italy were woven together. They give a fresh understanding of the history of the history of art.
Much of the book is set in Florence, my absolute favorite city. I can picture the buildings and works of art mentioned. As I read at home, I was also reading in Florence, my home away from home