“We have to catch a plane to Florida in half an hour, but we wanted to see the most beautiful book in the world,” said Betty Katarain Rosado. Betty who is from Palm Beach Florida, waited for 20 minutes in the freezing cold weather of New York with her husband for a library to open.
The library was not just any library, however. It was the New York Public Library, and Betty and her husband were waiting to see a $126,000 book named Michelangelo: La Dotta Mano or Michelangelo: The Learned Hand. The book is an Italian language celebration of Michelangelo’s artistry work. It was donated to the library and was on display for the first official public viewing in the United States.
The entire work cost a total of 100,000 euros, which translates roughly to 126,864 in US dollars. It took a matter of months of custom and skilled handiwork to print, requiring most of all serious Renaissance skills. The entire masterpiece has 264 pages that are plastered with bas-relief adaptations of Michelangelo’s most extravagant works including the “Madonna of the Steps”. Only a total of 33 copies out of a later planned 99 (limited edition) have been made.
The book is certainly not the most expensive ever made or sold, but when compared to most books of that price range it should be noted that most others are adorned with very expensive and rare rubies or gems. This book has nothing so special, just a red velvet covering, which is crafted by the same Italian workshop that made curtains for the Metropolitan Opera. It also has pure cotton paper sheets, which were produced directly in Italy, that show the photographic plates and drawings of Michelangelo’s work in the Sistene Chapel.
