Vasari, Michelangelo and the Allegory of Patience

This book recounts the exciting rediscovery of Giorgio Vasari's painting Allegory of Patience, created in 1551-52 for the Bishop of Arezzo in Vasari's hometown. This book explores the history of the painting, from its commission to the display of the stunning final work.

The Bishop of Arezzo regarded patience as the key to his career and achievements and wished it to be represented in a picture. Vasari, assigned the task, consulted his contemporaries and fellow humanists--as well as the great sculptor Michelangelo, as many surviving letters now reveal--when deciding what form the interpretation of such a virtue should take. The painting depicts the monumental figure of a woman, life-sized, with arms crossed, as she watches time run down. The passing of time is symbolized in the drops that fall from an antique water clock beside her, gradually wearing away the stone on which she rests her foot. The image represents more exactly the Latin tag diuturna tolerantia, or "daily tolerance."

The painting quickly became famous in its time and was frequently copied--but not until now has the original emerged. Thanks to letters between those involved, the painting and the process of its creation are richly documented. Furthermore, the correspondence reveals new insights and quotations about picture-making from Michelangelo. The lavishly illustrated volume opens a new window onto the historical importance of Vasari's celebrated work, which is on temporary loan to the National Gallery in London until 2023.