Those interested in Renaissance art will soon become familiar with the name Giorgio Vasari, Florentine architect, artist, and art historian. His 1568 compilation, “Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects,” is the most important written source for the artistic history of the period. Many of 16th-century Italy’s leading artists were among his friends and acquaintances. Included in his circle were numerous friends who had known their 15th-century predecessors.
Portrait of Giorgio Vasari, from 1571 to 1574, by Jacopo Zucchi. Oil on wood. Uffizi, Florence. (Public Domain)
Vasari has been credited with creating the idea of the Renaissance. He even initiated the term “Renaissance” (rebirth), which can be described as a restoration of strict classicism defined by two characteristics: The acceptance of ancient Greek and Roman aesthetics and the belief that these ideals should form the basic reference point of art….