The Composition of Giorgio Vasari's<i>Ricordanze</i>: Evidence from an Unknown Draft
Philip J. Jacks
The fame of Giorgio Vasari's Vite de’ eccellcnti pittori satltori ed architettori, both as a masterpiece Italian literature and the model modern biography, has perhaps slighted our awareness degree to which this author was also publicist his own artistic persona. Actually documentation Vasari left professional domestic affairs is probably more copious than research he compiled for lives fellow artists. Yet must have come idea an autobiography relatively late in life. At end second edition published 1568, devoted “alcune cose degli artefici della nostra Accademia di Firenze,” followed by “descrizione” career up present. Rather expression self-effacement, here distinction between description biography seems be question genre. Why found scheme vita suitable some contemporaries not others difficult explain. As life, prospect writing definitive version at stage no doubt would seemed bit premature.
Renaissance Quarterly