Giorgio Vasari's Prefaces: Art and Theory provides students and scholars alike with the
opportunity to study and understand the art theory and visual culture of Giorgio Vasari and
sixteenth century Italy. For the first time all of Vasari's Prefaces from the Lives of the
Artists (1568) are included translated into English as well as in the original Italian. Also
included is an English translation of Giovanni Battista Adriani's letter to Giorgio Vasari
enlightening Vasari on the art of the ancient masters. Through the eyes of Vasari this book
captures the creative achievements of his fellow artists - how they adopt nature and the
classical tradition as their muses and how they ingeniously interpret the secular and religious
themes of the past and present. Vasari himself is lauded for the transformation of the artist
from one of being a mere laborer to one who imbues his work with intellectual depth and is
recognized as a creator of beautiful visual myths.
