Vatican: All the Paintings
SynopsisPlot
Organized into 22 sections representing the museums and areas of the Vatican, including the Pinacoteca (painting gallery), the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, the Borgia Apartments, the Vatican Palaces, and St. Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican: All the Paintings includes 976 works of art. This slipcased edition features not only Christian art but also includes works from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, as well as many other works of religious and secular art right up to and including a selection of 20th century art and artifacts. One hundred and eighty of the most iconic and significant works of art are illuminated by art historian Anja Grebe with discussions on the key attributes of the masterpiece.
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About this book
Vatican: All the Paintings is a large-format art book by Anja Grebe that reproduces 976 works held across the museums, chapels, and palaces of Vatican City. The book is organized into 22 sections corresponding to specific locations within the Vatican complex, including the Pinacoteca, the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, the Borgia Apartments, and St. Peter's Basilica. Ross King, known for his books on Brunelleschi's Dome and Michelangelo, contributes an introduction.
The collection extends well beyond Christian subjects. It covers objects from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome alongside religious and secular European art, reaching into the twentieth century. This range reflects the Vatican's long history as a collector and patron across cultures and periods. Of the nearly one thousand works reproduced, 180 receive individual commentary from Grebe, who discusses their notable features and historical context in detail.
The book arrives in a slipcase and functions as a visual catalog of one of the world's most concentrated art holdings. Vatican City itself covers roughly 44 hectares, making it the smallest internationally recognized state, yet it houses collections built up over centuries of papal patronage and diplomatic exchange.
