Vita de' gran Michelagnolo Buonarroti Possibly 1568

This is the title page of Giorgio Vasari’s biography of Michelangelo, printed in Florence in 1568. The page is an example of intaglio printing – specifically, engraving. A copper plate was painstakingly incised with fine lines to create the image in reverse; ink was then applied and wiped from the surface, remaining only in the etched lines. Dampened paper was laid on the plate and run through a press to transfer the image. Look closely, and you can see that the entire composition is built up from these lines – the lettering, the ornamental borders, and the scene of Florence at the bottom. Consider the immense labor involved in this process, and the skill required to accurately depict form in this way. Printing, though mechanized, was still very much a craft. And in this case, the craft is entirely at the service of celebrating Michelangelo’s genius. Ultimately, this book demonstrates how manual work enables the fame of a great artist.