Vasari themes checklist.    

Use this guide as you skim each of Vasari’s Lives.  Fill in a checklist for each life as you read it
and note patterns in the Lives as you read more and more of them.  Turn in copies of your
completed charts when you hand in your Vasari paper. 

• Subject of life: 

• Opening statement:
  
  
  

• Family origins
  
  

• Artist to whom apprenticed
  
  
  

• When/how/does he surpass his master?
  
  
  

• Does he impress important people?
  
  
  

• Who are major patrons or commissions?
  
  
  
  

• Discussion of works we study?
  
  
  
  

• Any interesting or unusual anecdotes? 
  
  
  
  

• Words/phrases used to praise, e.g. light, progress, invention, almost alive
  
  
  
  

• Words used to condemn 
  
  
  

• Comments on other words/phrases/images Vasari uses 
  
  
  

• Does Vasari sum up his subject’s life?  How? 
  
  
  
  

• Any other comments?