Manhood and Artistic Achievement: The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini.
This paper will examine Cellini's Autobiography in terms of what it tells us both about the man, and how he viewed (constructed) himself as a text. It will be argued that significant differences exist between Cellini's work and other autobiographies. These differences - and, as will be seen, the beauty of the Autobiography itself - derive from Cellini's perception (representation) of his manhood in terms of the Renaissance conception of masculine genius. In this analysis, Cellini was not writing about his life so much as about his life as an artist. His underlying intent was to construct/reinforce the image of the (male) artist as genius. 11 pgs. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
