From the Publisher
Out of the clash of genius and the caprice of popes came the most glorious monument of the Renaissance
It was the splendor-and the scandal-of the age. In 1506, the ferociously ambitious Renaissance Pope Julius II tore down the most sacred shrine in Europe-the millenniumold St. Peter's Basilica built by the Emperor Constantine over the apostle's grave-to build a better basilica. Construction of the new St. Peter's spanned two centuries, embroiled twenty-seven popes, and consumed the genius of the greatest artists of the age-Michelangelo, Bramante, Raphael, and Bernini. As the basilica rose, modern Rome rose with it as glorious as the city of the Caesars. But the cost was unimaginable. The new basilica provoked the Protestant Reformation, dividing the Christian world for all time.
In this swift, colorful narrative, R. A. Scotti brings to life the artists and the popes, the politics and the passions behind this audacious enterprise. Gothic cathedrals reach up to heaven, but the basilica brings heaven to earth, and the new St. Peter's was the defining event of the high Renaissance.
In the tradition of Brunelleschi's Dome, Scotti turns sacred architecture into a spellbinding human epic of enormous daring, petty jealousy, and staggering genius.
The Providence Journal-Bulletin
[Scotti] ... appreciates the epic quest and querulousness and leaves us wondering how anything of any merit ever gets designed, built, consecrated and celebrated.
Entertainment Weekly
With her vivid portrayals, Scotti turns a potentially dry architectural tale into a Vatican version of Dynasty.
Wall Street Journal
Astonishes. A sweeping account of the largest assemblage of artistic genius on any project in history.
National Review
A fair and fascinating examination of splendorous and scandalous events. Scotti is a dramatic storyteller.
Publishers Weekly
Absorbing. A fascinating tale of genius, power, and money.
Richard John Neuhaus -
First Things
A lovely book, filled with historical detail and lively depictions. Captures an extraordinary period in the Church's life.
Publishers Weekly
In this absorbing story of the construction of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome-the grandest architectural undertaking of the High Renaissance-Scotti (Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938) shows how the construction fed the ambitions of 30 popes, including the indomitable Julius II, who laid the first stone in 1506; Leo X, the Medici pope whose extravagant spending fueled the resentment toward the papacy that culminated in the Protestant Reformation; Clement VII, on whose watch Rome was sacked by Emperor Charles V; and Sixtus V, who restored the ravaged city and pushed, against all odds, to have the great dome completed during his lifetime. In 1506, the great architect Donato Bramante envisioned a gigantic central crossing topped by a dome of such daring design that many believed it could not be built. Throughout the 100 years of construction, numerous architects, most of them consumed with pride, lofty ambition and professional jealousy, followed. Among them were Raphael, who died at age 37; Michelangelo, who accepted the job reluctantly at the age of 71; and Giacomo della Porta, who, in 1590, succeeded in raising the grand cupola. All are brought to life in this fascinating tale of genius, power and money. B&w photos not seen by PW. (June) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
There is a rich and turbulent history within the two million tons of stone that make up St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Enthralled with its grand scale, unimagined costs (more than 46,800,052 ducats), and the confusion of ideas in building it, Scotti (Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938) undertook this history of the Basilica's design and history. Readers are also treated to the lives of artists and popes; a study of politics; and an examination of Roman culture. First constructed in the fourth century C.E. to honor the tomb of St. Peter, the early Christian edifice was gradually torn down and replaced by the current structure. Its construction spanned several centuries and involved many of the most brilliant architects of the early modern period, including Raphael, Michelangelo, and Bernini. More than 1300 years passed between Pope Sylvester I's dedication of Constantine's church (on which St. Peter's is built) and Pope Urban VIII's consecration of the new Basilica of St. Peter. For budget-conscious libraries, this may act as an alternative to William Tronzo's St. Peter's in the Vatican.-L. Kriz, West Des Moines P.L., IA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Fascinating history reveals how the world's most glorious house of worship emerged from decades of trial and scandal. The construction of St. Peter's Basilica spanned 120 years (1506-1626) and the reign of 27 popes. Scotti (Sudden Sea, 2003) argues convincingly that the project prompted Martin Luther to launch the Protestant Reformation, nearly bankrupted the Catholic Church and threatened to sink the papacy. But it ultimately produced one of humanity's most wondrous artistic achievements and revived the glory of Rome. The author deftly navigates the facts, dates and personalities involved, giving an immediacy and accessibility to this dense, complex saga. Not surprisingly, delicious ironies abound. Much of the funds to build St. Peter's came from the pillaging of New World natives by Spanish conquistadors. The ancient obelisk that still anchors St. Peter's Square was brought to Rome from Egypt by Caligula, the most debauched of Roman emperors. The massive dome that sits atop St. Peter's was partially constructed with material scavenged from the nearby Pantheon, a pagan temple. Naturally, heroes emerge in such a tale, among them Popes Julius II and Sixtus V, who took the massive project on their shoulders, and artists like Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini, whose genius elevated the basilica from architecture to high art. The erratic Michelangelo took on the construction job reluctantly, then devoted his life to St. Peter's for 17 years, until his death at the age of 89. Bernini spent even more time on the project, designing the massive bronze canopy that dwarfs the altar, the colonnades of St. Peter's Square and many of the lavish fountains that still guide the faithful to the basilica'sfront door. In Scotti's capable hands, the story of St. Peter's becomes a riveting portrait of the papacy, complete with its triumphs, intrigue and excesses.
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