After “Michelangelo, The Dotta Mano” (Michelangelo, the main scholarly), it’s “La Dotta Mano” (the learned hand) for art lovers. The name ‘Michelangelo’ is being refreshed in our minds with the efforts of Marilena Ferrari, its Italian publisher who thinks books are losing their identity due to the Internet which is acting as its nemesis. An extravagant, 62-pound handmade tome depicting the life and work of Michelangelo has arrived at the New York Public Library, fresh from publication in Italy. The book is filled with photographs of Michelangelo’s drawings and sculptures — creations from the Sistine Chapel ceiling to his very personal poetry. The velvet- and marble-bound, most expensive book – “La Dotta Mano” will go on public display this coming Tuesday morning through Dec. 8.

The book has a front cover made of white marble from Michelangelo’s favorite quarry, in Carrara and the binding is covered with red silk velvet. The price is 100,000 Euros. The extravagance has been produced using Italian artisan skills dating to the Renaissance which takes six months to craft! Marilena Ferrari provides a 500-year warranty to the Michelangelo book to make a point for the vanishing act the good things like books do these days lasting so merely which is not enough to make a mark or even a scratch, so to say.

Via Journal Inquirer