Caravaggio Biography
One of the six books shortlisted for the BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2011 was Andrew Graham Dixon's biography of one of the world's greatest artists: Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane. Publishers seem to be falling over themselves to publish this book. There are editions from Allen Lane, W. W. Norton & Company, Penguin and Kindle. At least one edition claims to have 89 full-colour illustrations. My advice as always is to order a copy from your local library. Click the title link to read the Telegraph's review.
posted by Unknown @ 10.7.11
2 comments
2 Comments:
The Telegraph's review suggests that the new book does not improve on Peter Robb's 500 pages of "M" published in 1998. The review's talk of "jail" in Malta rather understates the dark hole in the ground that was the holding cell for a condemned prisoner.
Graham-Dixon's tv series "Renaissance" was memorable for the mistake of his voice-over lauding Renaissance sculptors - while the lingering image was of the 19th century "Rape of Polyxena" by Pio Fedi. Either he never watched the final cut - or it was assumed the audience wouldn't know the difference between Fedi and Giambologna's statues. Either way it was negligent or lacking academic rigour.
Thank you for your interesting comment. I didn't review the book myself - too much like hard work -, but pointed to the review in the Telegraph. I did watch the BBC award programme on the shortlisted entries and thought the book was worth an arts blog.
Graham-Dixon's website is worth a look. I found one painting there I couldn't find anywhere else.
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