Vatican: All the Paintings - by Anja Grebe (Hardcover)

About the Book

In the same style, manner, and format as The Louvre: All the Paintings, every Old Master painting that is on display in The Vatican is included in this deluxe, slip-cased volume with companion DVD, as well as hundreds of additional masterpieces and treasure in the Papal collection.

Book Synopsis

Discover the artistic wonders of the Vatican, from the Sistine Chapel to Raphael's frescoes and much more, with this deluxe slipcased edition of the New York Times bestselling book The Vatican: All the Paintings.

The Vatican is home to dozens of museums and palaces which together house one the finest art collections in the world. Every painting and fresco on display in the Vatican museums by the Old Masters--pre-19th century European painting--plus a selection of more than 300 other works of art including modern painting, sculpture, tapestries, and other artifacts, is collected in this unprecedented book.

Organized into 22 sections representing the museums and areas of the Vatican, including the Pinacoteca (painting gallery), the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, the Borgia Apartments, the Vatican Palaces, and St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican: All the Paintings includes 976 works of art. This slipcased edition features not only Christian art but also includes works from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, as well as many other works of religious and secular art right up to and including a selection of 20th century art and artifacts. One hundred and eighty of the most iconic and significant works of art are illuminated by art historian Anja Grebe with discussions on the key attributes of the masterpiece.

With an introduction by Ross King, bestselling author of Brunelleschi's Dome and Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, this stunning collection of nearly 1,000 historic works of art is a must-have for every art lover, student, and armchair traveler.

Review Quotes

This comprehensive and heavy tome illustrates all the works of art on display in the Vatican and underscores the variety of its art, including works that popes commissioned from painters as well as works that were accumulated for art appreciation and prestige beginning in the 17th century. The book is divided into 22 sections representing the museums and areas of the Vatican. This includes the Pinacoteca (painting gallery), with paintings given to or purchased by the pops or removed from altarpieces of papal churches. Also included are images of art from the Borgia Apartments, the famous Raphael Rooms, and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. Lesser-known works are included, such as a collection of modern religious art and tapestry and maps. The diversity of the holdings is highlighted by such collections as the Pio-Clementine Museum of early Christian Rome, the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, which houses non-Western art. Not to be forgotten is St. Peter's Basilica and Piazz, and its art including Michelangelo's famous Pieta sculpture.

VERDICT This book, which has many beautiful color illustrations, its own slipcover, and a DVD that includes every work of art, will appeal to readers who are interested in the art of the Vatican.
- Library Journal

About the Author

Anja Grebe teaches art history at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany. She has taken part in numerous international research projects and exhibitions and has published extensively on medieval and modern art history. Grebe is also the author of The Vatican: All the Paintings. She lives in Erlangen, Germany.

Ross King is the bestselling author of books on Italian, French and Canadian art and history. Among his books are Brunelleschi's Dome, Michelangelo, and The Pope's Ceiling, and Leonardo and The Last Supper. King also serves on the council of Academic Advisors for Friends of Florence, a fundraising charity that ensures the survival of Florence's art and architectural treasures. When not traveling for work or pleasure, he lives in the historic town of Woodstock, near Oxford, with his wife Melanie.