The Vatican Museums

I Grandi Musei del Mondo #7

by Barbara Furlotti

Genres: Art, Italy

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[John Isles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following a recent visit to the Vatican Museums we looked for books describing the items displayed, and were surprised to find the choice limited. We settled on this one, though it's far from comprehensive. After a brief history of the museums it presents a selection of masterpieces, comprising 5 items from the Pio-Clementino Museum, 20 from the Picture Gallery, 6 frescos in other rooms, and parts of the Sistine Chapel. A dull portrait bust of Pope John XXIII is the sole item representing the Contemporary Art Collection. A text describing each item faces an image of it, and in most cases two more pages show enlarged details, or comparable works of art. A few errors betray the fact that the text has been translated from Italian. We plan to revisit the museums and will again be on the lookout for books.

[Cristina Contilli]

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