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Perhaps King had a little less material to work with here, but I felt that the narrative fell a little flat compared to King's other book "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling". Still, I picked this up in Florence, and it was informative and fun to read in the shadow of the Duomo itself.
Terrific little book that tells the story of Brunelleschi and the Dome he created in Florence. Like Raphael, Michelangelo, and a handful of others Brunelleschi's work was one of genius. A story well worth reading.
I was expecting a 50/50 - 70/30 architecture/renaissance life split and felt it was closer to 80/20. At 200 pages though, it was the perfect length before I would have lost interest in the architecture story lines. The side stories were great, especially when the various military campaigns are discussed. Several illustrations of equipment at key points help to enhance the descriptions.
There must have been something in the water in Florence, Italy during the 13, 14, and 1500's. - I guess I would have liked to hear some more of the architectural/engineering principles that underlie Brunelleschi's design, and more comparisons to the contemporary designs of Brunelleschi's day. Prior to Brunelleschi, domes were built over a scaffold frame to support the masonry until it dried.
and now (I discover) Brunelleschi. How Brunelleschi overcame the technical challenges (while maneuvering through several political and interpersonal intrigues) to give the world this iconic dome makes for an edifying read, particulary for anybody traveling to Florence. the amount of genius that city has produced continues to stagger the imagination: Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonerotti,.
Brunelleschi's dome, however, is so large that its weight precluded such methods. There's no denying the simple beauty of the cathedral's Rennaissance "five-point" dome, shelled in brilliant terra cotta, and topped with a distinctive "lantern" -whose origins are also covered in the book. What is not so widely appreciated is how revolutionary construction of the cathedral's dome was.
So why not five stars. Overall, I would recommend this book to anybody interested in art history, architecture, or who is about to visit Florence.
I travel a ton and I am so sorry I didn't climb Brunelleschi's Dome. After reading this book, I want to go back, just to climb and see all the details I just read about. At times the book got slow and technical, but it was overall fascinating.Stands the test of time.
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