commentary by Marcia Hall, photography by Takashi Okamura (Harry N. Abrams, New York), $39.95.

The most enduring and beloved masterpieces of all of Western painting -- Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel -- are explored in this visually stunning book, the first complete survey of the frescoes since their restoration began in the 1980s. With new commentary by Italian Renaissance art scholar Marcia B. Hall and 157 full-color photographs by photographer Takashi Okamura, the book offers an intimate and insightful look at the restored masterpieces, from the Creation scenes to the Last Judgment. Masked by accumulated smoke and grime, the images and colors have now been brought back to life, allowing us to contemplate the work as if we were the first to see it. Using wide-angle photography to capture the work as a whole, combined with staggeringly beautiful close-ups and accessible text, Michelangelo: The Frescoes of the Sistine Chapel is a wonderfully updated introduction to these favorite masterpieces.