In the same style, manner, and format as The Louvre: All the Paintings (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2011), every Old Master painting on display in the Vatican, as well as hundreds of additional masterpieces and treasures in the papal collection, is included in this deluxe slipcased volume with companion DVD.

The Vatican is one of the most visited sites in the world and houses many museums and palaces, as well as one of the finest art collections known to man. Works of interest include Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and his Pieta; the Raphael frescoes; the works of Giotto, Fra Angelico, Titian, and Caravaggio; and some of the world's finest statues, manuscripts, architecture, and gardens, as well as the world's most precious Christian relics.

The Vatican: All the Paintings is an unprecedented celebration of this great collection. The book is organized into 22 sections representing the museums and areas of the Vatican, including the Pinacoteca, the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, the Borgia Apartments, the Vatican Palaces, and St. Peter's Basilica. 

Each one of the 976 works of art represented in the book—including 661 classical paintings on display in the permanent painting collection and 315 other masterpieces—is annotated with the name of the painting and artist, the date of the work, the birth and death dates of the artist, the medium that was used, the size of the work, and the catalog number (if applicable). In addition, 180 of the most iconic and significant paintings and other pieces of art are highlighted with 300-word essays by art historian Anja Grebe on such topics as the key attributes of the work, what to look for when viewing the work, the artist's inspirations and techniques, biographical information on the artist, and the artist's impact on art history.

The design of the book enables the reader to carefully examine and enjoy the 180 full- and half-page featured paintings as well as the rest of the collection of paintings, which appear four or six to a page. Larger works of art, like ceilings and frescoes, include overall views and details of the masterpieces. Also includes three gatefolds to view the most iconic works of art at a larger size.

An enclosed DVD-ROM contains every image from the book and allows readers to view many at a slightly larger size and to search and sort the paintings by type, artist, era, and date, or by location in the Vatican museums. 

As with The Louvre: All the Paintings, The Vatican: All the Paintings is a complete treasure trove of one of the most exquisite and important art collections in the world. The book itself is a beautiful object.

Anja Grebe teaches Art History at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg/Germany. She is taking part in numerous international research projects and exhibitions and has published extensively on medieval and modern art history. Her most recent publications include a history of book illumination and a biography of Albrecht Dürer. She lives in Erlangen, Germany.

Anja Grebe's profile page

Ross King, born in Estevan, Saskatchewan, is the Canadian author of three books on Italian history and Art: Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling, Machiavelli: Philosopher of Power and Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture, which won the 2001 Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Adult Nonfiction. His study of French Impressionism, The Judgment of Paris, won the Governor General's Award for Non-Fiction in Canada. He lives in England, near Oxford.

Ross King's profile page

This comprehensive and heavy tome illustrates all the works of art on display in the Vatican and underscores the variety of its art, including works that popes commissioned from painters as well as works that were accumulated for art appreciation and prestige beginning in the 17th century. The book is divided into 22 sections representing the museums and areas of the Vatican. This includes the Pinacoteca (painting gallery), with paintings given to or purchased by the pops or removed from altarpieces of papal churches.  Also included are images of art from the Borgia Apartments, the famous Raphael Rooms, and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.  Lesser-known works are included, such as a collection of modern religious art and tapestry and maps.  The diversity of the holdings is highlighted by such collections as the Pio-Clementine Museum of early Christian Rome, the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, which houses non-Western art.  Not to be forgotten is St. Peter’s Basilica and Piazz, and its art including Michelangelo’s famous Pieta sculpture.

VERDICT This book, which has many beautiful color illustrations, its own slipcover, and a DVD that includes every work of art, will appeal to readers who are interested in the art of the Vatican.