简介：OnaspectacularjourneythroughRenaissanceItaly,AndrewGraham-Dixonsearchesfortheshadowyfigurewhowroteoneofthemostimportantbooksonartandlooksatsomedazzlingworks,includingmasterpiecesoftheearlyRenaissancebyGiotto,MasaccioandDonatello.GiorgioVasariwasthegrandaddyofallartcritics,travellingItalyinthe16thcenturyforhisdefinitiveLivesoftheArtists.ScorningmedievalGothic,hepraisedtothevaultedceilingstherevivalofclassicalartandarchitecture.Itwas"atimeofmiraclesthathenamed'theRenaissance',"saysAndrewGraham-Dixon,asheretracesVasari'sfootstepsforthiscaptivatingtwo-partfilminashortArtofItalyseason.He'sanenthusiasticguide,lapsingeasilyintoItalianconversationwiththecustodiansofgalleriesandchapelswhoallowhimaprivateview.FromBrunelleschi'sDuomoinFlorencetolessfamiliarmarvels-aDonatellosculpture;Masacciofrescoes-heillustrateshowrapidlyideasdeveloped.Afinaltreatforhim-andus-isatouroftheVasariCorridor,ararelyaccessedgallerythatzigzagsacrosstheFlorentinerooftops.…