Unlike the multi-volume complete sets, this single-volume Oxford World's Classics version is easy to carry while traveling through Italy. Potential Drawbacks
While Vasari himself was notoriously biased toward Florentine artists and prone to inventing anecdotes, this edition uses footnotes to point out where he’s wrong about dates or attributions. The Lives of the Artists (Oxford World's Classics)
The Lives of the Artists by Giorgio Vasari · Audiobook preview This edition of is widely considered the gold
A selection of 36 essential biographies (abridged from the original 200+). Unlike the multi-volume complete sets
This edition of is widely considered the gold standard for students and art enthusiasts because it balances readable prose with heavy-duty scholarship. Quick Summary Translators: Julia Conaway Bondanella and Peter Bondanella.
Reviewers note that while the sentences can be long and "eloquent," they capture the "chatty" and humorous spirit of the original 16th-century text.
Includes an expert introduction and extensive explanatory notes that correct Vasari’s many historical "tall tales". Core Strengths