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Here is the most important autobiography from Renaissance Italy and
one of the most spirited and colorful from any time or place, in a
translation widely recognized as the most faithful to the energy
and spirit of the original.
Benvenuto Cellini was both a beloved artist in sixteenth-century
Florence and a passionate and temperamental man of action who was
capable of brawling, theft, and murder. He counted popes,
cardinals, kings, and dukes among his patrons and was the adoring
friend of--as he described them--the "divine" Michelangelo and the
"marvelous" Titian, but was as well known for his violent feuds. At
age twenty-seven he helped defend the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome,
and his account of his imprisonment there (under a mad castellan
who thought he was a bat), his escape, recapture, and confinement
in "a cell of tarantulas and venomous worms" is an adventure equal
to any other in fact or fiction. But it is only one in a long life
lived on a grand scale.
Cellini's autobiography is not merely the record of an
extraordinary life but also a dramatic and evocative
account of daily life in Renaissance Italy, from its lowest taverns
to its highest royal courts.
Inn-keepers and prostitutes, kings and cardinals, artists and soldiers rub shoulders in the pages of Cellini's notorious autobiography. Benvenuto Cellini was a celebrated goldsmith and distinguished sculptor, yet it is on his autobiography that much of his fame rests. Begun in Florence when he was fifty-eight, it was primarily intended to be the story of his life and art, his tragedies and triumphs. However, as he was an active participant in the wars and struggles of the period, and drew his friends and enemies from all levels of society, it became a vivid and convincing portrait of the manners and morals both of the rulers of the sixteenth century and of their subjects. With enviable powers of invective and an irrepressible sense of humour, reflected in an equally vigorous and extravagant style, Cellini has provided an intriguing and unrivalled glimpse into the palaces and prisons of the Italy of Michelangelo and the Medici. For this edition, George Bull has revised and expanded his Introduction, added comprehensive notes and updated the Bibliography.
Benvenuto Cellini started getting onto trouble at a young age. By
age sixteen, he had already been exiled from his hometown for six
months due to a public assault of another citizen. As a man with
endless talents-sculpting, drafting, writing, music, Cellini
enjoyed dabbling in many different art forms, a career that enabled
him to travel to various major cities. After apprenticing for a
goldsmith, Cellini moved to Rome at age nineteen. There, Pope
Clement praised his work. However, Cellini's relationship with
Clement was the last time he stood in good graces with a Pope.
After insulting Pope Clement's successor, Pope Farnese, Cellini
left Rome to pursue work in France, fearing that he would be
arrested if he stayed. However, his travels did not protect him
from the wrath of Pope Farnese. After being accused of the theft of
precious Vatican items, Cellini was imprisoned. Deciding to take
matters into his own hands, Cellini organizes a prison escape.
Though his feud with Pope Farnese greatly complicated his life,
Cellini relishes making enemies, and finds humor in every situation
he is in. With stories of sexual conquests, murder, escapes,
near-death experiences, and artistic endeavors, Benvenuto Cellini
reveals all the salacious details of his exhilarating life. Though
he exposes many ugly personality traits that he possesses, Cellini
himself does not believe that he has faults, and only admits to
being wrong once in his life. Despite this, Cellini possesses an
influential amount of charisma, which is as evident in his written
work as it was in his life. Autobiography by Benvenuto Cellini
provides a privileged look into the social life of the Italian
Renaissance, and preserves the memory of the incredible artistic
work of Cellini, most of which has been lost to time. Because of
the fascinating and atypical life Cellini led, paired with his
charisma and humor, Autobiography has remained to feel exciting and
relevant to a modern audience, both for entertainment and
educational purposes. Now with an eye-catching cover design and
printed in a readable font, Benvenuto Cellini's Autobiography is
accessible for a contemporary audience, preserving the wit and
grandeur of work, while renovating it to appeal to a modern
audience.
Benvenuto Cellini started getting onto trouble at a young age. By
age sixteen, he had already been exiled from his hometown for six
months due to a public assault of another citizen. As a man with
endless talents—sculpting, drafting, writing, music, Cellini
enjoyed dabbling in many different art forms, a career that enabled
him to travel to various major cities. After apprenticing for a
goldsmith, Cellini moved to Rome at age nineteen. There, Pope
Clement praised his work. However, Cellini’s relationship with
Clement was the last time he stood in good graces with a Pope.
After insulting Pope Clément’s successor, Pope Farnese, Cellini
left Rome to pursue work in France, fearing that he would be
arrested if he stayed. However, his travels did not protect him
from the wrath of Pope Farnese. After being accused of the theft of
precious Vatican items, Cellini was imprisoned. Deciding to take
matters into his own hands, Cellini organizes a prison escape.
Though his feud with Pope Farnese greatly complicated his life,
Cellini relishes making enemies, and finds humor in every situation
he is in. With stories of sexual conquests, murder, escapes,
near-death experiences, and artistic endeavors, Benvenuto Cellini
reveals all the salacious details of his exhilarating life. Though
he exposes many ugly personality traits that he possesses, Cellini
himself does not believe that he has faults, and only admits to
being wrong once in his life. Despite this, Cellini possesses an
influential amount of charisma, which is as evident in his written
work as it was in his life. Autobiography by Benvenuto Cellini
provides a privileged look into the social life of the Italian
Renaissance, and preserves the memory of the incredible artistic
work of Cellini, most of which has been lost to time. Because of
the fascinating and atypical life Cellini led, paired with his
charisma and humor, Autobiography has remained to feel exciting and
relevant to a modern audience, both for entertainment and
educational purposes. Now with an eye-catching cover design and
printed in a readable font, Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography is
accessible for a contemporary audience, preserving the wit and
grandeur of work, while renovating it to appeal to a modern
audience.
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