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Title: Lives of the Artists by Vasari
Review: Printed originally in Italian in the mid-sixteenth century, this book is considered not only the first history of art but also the first to put into words the process of growth and rebirth that characterized the Renaissance. Vasari writes about artists who were, for the most part, his contemporaries. He knew of their work and their lives, if not first-hand then by reputation or by association. The little stories he weaves into their lives give insight into each artist's personality. Though Vasari does try to make them all fit the mold of the Renaissance man, he shows us the chinks in the facade.
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