The Uffizi Gallery_ Saturday, N - Instapaper

8/13/2019 The Uffizi Gallery_ Saturday, N - Instapaper

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Botticellis masterpiecies and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence

A selection a webpages rearranged by Francesco Nitti

Sandro Botticelli - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.orgAdoration of the Magi of 1475 (Botticelli - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org!he Birth of "en#$ (Botticelli - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org%ri&a'era (painting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org

ffi)i - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org

ffi)i *allery - *oogle +#lt#ral n$tit#tegoogle.co&

taly*#ide$.it !he ffi)i *allery (*alleria degli ffi)i , lorence talyitalyg#ide$.it

lorence, taly ffi)i *alleryyo#t#/e.co&


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Sandro Botticelli - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.orgAlessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi , /etter known a$ Sandro Botticelli ( talian 0 $andro

/otti t lli 2 c. 1445 01 3 May 17, 151 , wa$ an talian painter of the arly 6enai$$ance. e /elonged tothe lorentine $chool #nder the patronage of 8oren)o de9 Medici, a &o'e&ent that *iorgio "a$ariwo#ld characteri)e le$$ than a h#ndred year$ later a$ a :golden age:, a tho#ght, $#ita/ly eno#gh, hee;pre$$ed at the head of hi$ Vita of Botticelli. Botticelli9$ po$th#&o#$ rep#tation $#ffered #ntil the late


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1 nfl#ence of Sa'onarola 4 ?eath and po$th#&o#$ eclip$e 5 %ri'ate life @ Work$ 7 See al$o 6eference$ and $o#rce$ < #rther reading

1 ;ternal link$

!arly life

e wa$ /orn in the city of lorence in a ho#$e in the "ia #o'a, Borg9Cgni$$anti to Mariano di"anni d9A&edeo ilipepi and hi$ wife S&eralda. "a$ari reported that he wa$ initially trained a$ agold$&ith /y hi$ /rother Antonio. 0= !here are 'ery few detail$ of Botticelli9$ life, /#t it i$ known that he

/eca&e an apprentice when he wa$ a/o#t fo#rteen year$ old, which wo#ld indicate that he recei'ed af#ller ed#cation than other 6enai$$ance arti$t$. %ro/a/ly /y 14@= he wa$ apprenticed to ra ilippo8ippi2 0> &any of hi$ early work$ ha'e /een attri/#ted to the elder &a$ter, and attri/#tion$ contin#e to

/e #ncertain. nfl#enced al$o /y the &on#&entality of Ma$accio9$ painting, it wa$ fro& 8ippi thatBotticelli learned a &ore inti&ate and detailed &anner. A$ recently di$co'ered, d#ring thi$ ti&e,Botticelli co#ld ha'e tra'eled to #ngary, participating in the creation of a fre$co in $)tergo&,ordered in the work$hop of ilippo 8ippi /y DEno$ "itF), then arch/i$hop of #ngary. 0citation needed

By 147 , Botticelli had hi$ own work$hop. 'en at thi$ early date, hi$ work wa$ characteri)ed /y a conception of the fig#re a$ if $een in low relief, drawn with clear conto#r$, and &ini&i)ing $trongcontra$t$ of light and $hadow which wo#ld indicate f#lly &odeled for&$.

Mat"rity

!he Adoration of the Magi for Santa Maria o'ella (c. 14753147@, now at the ffi)i , contain$the portrait$ of +o$i&o de Medici, hi$ $on$ %iero and *io'anni, and hi$ grand$on$ 8oren)o and*i#liano. !he G#ality of the $cene wa$ hailed /y "a$ari a$ one of Botticelli9$ pinnacle$.


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http HH/it$.wiki&edia.orgH$tatic-1.=>w&f4H$kin$Hco&&onHi&age$H&agnify-clip.png (c. 14 = icon of the $pringti&e renewal of the lorentine 6enai$$ance, al$o at the $#&&er pala))o of%ierfrance$co de9 Medici, a$ a co&panion piece to the Birth of Venus and Pallas and the Centaur . 8eftto right Merc#ry, the !hree *race$, "en#$, lora, +hlori$, Iephyr#$.

http HH#pload.wiki&edia.orgHwikipediaHco&&on$Hth#&/H7H7dH"en#$JandJMar$.KpgH> p;-"en#$JandJMar$.Kpg

8ike ch of lorence, Botticelli had co&e #nder the $way of Sa'onarola and hi$ art had tran$for&edfro& the decorati'e to the deeply de'o#t - The Mystical Nativity (c. 15 -15 1 0for e;a&ple /ear$ all

the $ign$ of thi$ change:04

n 14 1, %ope Si;t#$ " $#&&oned Botticelli and other pro&inentlorentine and &/rian arti$t$ to fre$co the wall$ of the Si$tine +hapel. !he iconological progra& wa$

the $#pre&acy of the %apacy. Sandro9$ contri/#tion incl#ded the Temptations of Christ , the Punishmentof the Rebels and Trial of Moses . e ret#rned to lorence, and :/eing of a $ophi$tical t#rn of &ind, hethere wrote a co&&entary on a portion of ?ante and ill#$trated the nferno which he printed, $pendingch ti&e o'er it, and thi$ a/$tention fro& work led to $erio#$ di$order$ in hi$ li'ing.: !h#$ "a$aricharacteri)ed the fir$t printed ?ante (14 1 with Botticelli9$ decoration$2 he co#ld not i&agine that thenew art of printing &ight occ#py an arti$t. !he &a$terpiece$ Primavera (c. 14 = and The Birth of Venus (c. 14 5 were /oth $een /y"a$ari at the 'illa of 8oren)o di %ierfrance$co de9 Medici at +a$tello in the &id-1@th cent#ry, and #ntilrecently, it wa$ a$$#&ed that /oth work$ were painted $pecifically for the 'illa. 6ecent $cholar$hip

$#gge$t$ otherwi$e the Primavera wa$ painted for 8oren)o9$ townho#$e in lorence, and The Birth ofVenus wa$ co&&i$$ioned /y $o&eone el$e for a different $ite. By 14


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po$$e$$ing linear rhyth&, there can /e no do#/t. n the &id-14 $, Botticelli worked on a &aKor fre$co cycle with %er#gino, ?o&enico*hirlandaio and ilippino 8ippi, for 8oren)o the Magnificent9$ 'illa near "olterra2 in addition he

painted &any fre$coe$ in lorentine ch#rche$. n 14


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%eath and posth"mo"s eclipse

Botticelli wa$ already little e&ployed in 15 =. n 15 4 he wa$ a &e&/er of the co&&itteeappointed to decide where Michelangelo9$ ?a'id wo#ld /e placed. i$ later work, e$pecially a$ $een ina $erie$ on the life of St. Ieno/i#$, witne$$ed a di&in#tion of $cale, e;pre$$i'ely di$torted fig#re$, anda non-nat#rali$tic #$e of colo#r re&ini$cent of the work of ra Angelico nearly a cent#ry earlier. Afterhi$ death, hi$ rep#tation wa$ eclip$ed longer and &ore thoro#ghly than that of any other &aKor

#ropean arti$t. i$ painting$ re&ained in the ch#rche$ and 'illa$ 0 for which they had /een created,hi$ fre$coe$ in the Si$tine +hapel #p$taged /y Michelangelo9$. Briti$h collector Willia& o#ng Cttleyhad howe'er /ro#ght Botticelli9$ The Mystical Nativity to 8ondon with hi& in 174 year$ later, in 151 . So&e &odern hi$torian$ ha'e al$o e;a&ined other a$pect$ of hi$ $e;#ality. n 1 , DacG#e$Me$nil di$co'ered a $#&&ary of a charge in the lorentine Archi'e$ for o'e&/er 1@, 15 =, whichread $i&ply :Botticelli keep$ a /oy:, #nder an acc#$ation of $odo&y. !he painter wo#ld then ha'e /eenfifty-eight2 the charge$ were e'ent#ally dropped. Me$nil di$&i$$ed it a$ a c#$to&ary $lander /y which

parti$an$ and ad'er$arie$ of Sa'onarola a/#$ed each other. Cpinion re&ain$ di'ided on whether thi$ i$e'idence of ho&o$e;#ality. 01> Many ha'e fir&ly /acked Me$nil, 014 /#t other$ ha'e ca#tioned again$tha$ty di$&i$$al of the charge. 015 et while $pec#lating on the $#/Kect of hi$ painting$, Me$nilne'erthele$$ concl#ded :wo&an wa$ not the only o/Kect of hi$ lo'e:. 01@


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Works

Main article: List of works by Sandro Botticelli See also

i$tory of painting talian 6enai$$ance 8i$t of fa&o#$ talian$ 8i$t of talian painter$ 8i$t of painter$ 6enai$$ance painting We$tern painting Botticelli (ga&e

'eferences and so"rces

6eference$ N a b %atrick, Renaissance and Reformation 'ol 1, = 7. Cther $o#rce$ gi'e 144@, 1447or 1444345. ( According to "a$ari, he wa$ $till in $chool in e/r#ary 145 2 an a/le p#pil, he ea$ily grewre$tle$$, and wa$ initially apprenticed a$ a gold$&ith. 8ight/own, p. 1


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9a Vinci 9eclassified , = @ !8+ doc#&entary ll&an, ., Sandro Botticelli, 1 a$hiro, ., Sandro Botticelli and the lorentine 6enai$$ance, 1= ofthe 1< < edition . !he$e are the two /ook$ Sal'ini 6., Tutti la pittura del Botticelli , Milan, 6i))oli ditore, 1


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Portrait of ?iuliano de Medici The Birth of Christ Portrait of ?iuliano de Medici Madonna and Child :ith ;ight Angels $t' Augustine

Madonna of the Magnificat @Madonna del Magnificat Madonna of the Boo= @Madonna del Libro Portrait of a >oung 3oman Portrait of a >oung 3oman Annunciation $t' $i6tus ++ Adoration of the Magi Primavera Pallas and the Centaur Venus and Mars Portrait of a >oung Man Portrait of a >oung Man The $tory of Nastagio degli nesti Venus and the Three ?races Presenting ?ifts to a >oung 3oman A >oung Man Being +ntroduced to the $even Liberal Arts The Virgin and Child ;nthroned @Bardi Altarpiece The Birth of Venus Annunciation Madonna Adoring the Child :ith &ive Angels Madonna of the Pomegranate @Madonna della Melagrana The Virgin and Child :ith &our Angels and $i6 $aints @Pala di $an Barnaba Vision of $t' Augustine Christ in the $epulcre $alome :ith the 5ead of $t' 2ohn the Baptist ;6traction of $t' +gnatius 5eart Cestello Annunciation The Virgin Adoring the Child Lamentation over the 9ead Christ Portrait of a Man $an Marco Altarpiece $t' Augustine in 5is Cell Madonna and Child and the >oung $t 2ohn the Baptist Portrait of Loren%o di $er Piero Loren%i Virgin and Child :ith the +nfant $t' 2ohn the Baptist 5oly Trinity @Pala delle Convertite The Virgin and Child :ith Three Angels @Madonna del Padiglione Calumny of Apelles Lamentation over the 9ead Christ :ith $aints Last Communion of $t' 2erome Portrait of 9ante The $tory of Virginia The $tory of Lucretia Crucifi6ion


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Christ Cro:ned :ith Thorns Transfiguration# $t 2erome# $t Augustine 2udith Leaving the Tent of 5olofernes Agony in the ?arden The Mystical Nativity

Baptism of $t' enobius and 5is Appointment as Bishop Three Miracles of $t' enobius Three Miracles of $t' enobius Last Miracle and the 9eath of $t' enobius

http HH#pload.wiki&edia.orgHwikipediaHco&&on$Hth#&/HdHd4HSandroJBotticelliJ >.KpgH15 p;-SandroJBotticelliJ >.Kpg

Adoration of the Ma)i of + . /Botticelli0 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org Adoration of t e Magi !he Adoration of t e Magi! is a painting by the +talian Renaissance

master $andro Botticelli# dating from ,0.) or ,0.*' +t is housed in the Dffi%i of &lorence' Botticelli :ascommissioned to paint at least seven versions of The Adoration of the Magi E,F

!he Adoration of the Magi the&e wa$ pop#lar in the 6enai$$ance lorence. !he work wa$co&&i$$ioned /y *a$pare di Iano/i del 8a&a, a /anker of h#&/le origin$ and d#/io#$ &orality
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg/150px-Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg/150px-Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg/150px-Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg/150px-Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg


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connected to the o#$e of Medici, for hi$ chapel in the ch#rch of Santa Maria o'ella (nowde$troyed . n the $cene are pre$ent n#&ero#$ character$ a&ong which are $e'eral &e&/er$ of theMedici fa&ily +o$i&o de9 Medici (the Mag#$ kneeling in front of the "irgin, de$cri/ed /y "a$ari a$:the fine$t of all that are now e;tant for it$ life and 'igo#r: , hi$ $on$ %iero (the $econd Mag#$ kneelingin the centre with the red &antle and *io'anni (the third Mag#$ , and hi$ grand$on$ *i#liano and

8oren)o. !he three Medici portrayed a$ Magi were all dead at the ti&e the pict#re wa$ painted, andlorence wa$ effecti'ely r#led /y 8oren)o. n hi$ Lives "a$ari de$cri/e$ the Adoration in the following way !he /ea#ty of the head$ in thi$ $cene i$ inde$cri/a/le, their attit#de$ all different, $o&e f#ll-face, $o&e in profile, $o&e three-G#arter$, $o&e /ent down, and in 'ario#$ other way$, while thee;pre$$ion$ of the attendant$, /oth yo#ng and old, are greatly 'aried, di$playing the arti$t9$ perfect&a$tery of hi$ profe$$ion. Sandro f#rther clearly $how$ the di$tinction /etween the $#ite$ of each of theking$. t i$ a &ar'ello#$ work in colo#r, de$ign and co&po$ition. ?el 8a&a i$ portrayed a$ the old &an on the right with white hair and a light /l#e ro/e lookingand pointing at the o/$er'er. n the pict#re i$ al$o pre$ent Botticelli9$ alleged $elf-portrait, a$ the /lond&an with yellow &antle on the far right. !he attention to detail$, $#ch a$ the gar&ent$ rendering, $how the acG#i$ition /y the lorentinearti$t of the infl#ence$ fro& the le&i$h $chool at thi$ point of hi$ career.

See also

http HH#pload.wiki&edia.orgHwikipediaHenHth#&/H4H4aH+o&&on$-logo.$'gH> p;-+o&&on$-logo.$'g.png Wiki&edia +o&&on$ ha$ &edia related to Adoration of t e Magi by Botticelli "#ffi$i% . Adoration of

the Magi ( ilippino 8ippi Adoration of the Magi (8eonardo da "inci

QQ 6eference$ ( :Adoration of the Magi:. Mountain 3est 9igital Library . tah Acade&ic 8i/rary+on$orti#&. 6etrie'ed 15 May = 1>.

Bi1lio)raphy

IRllner, rank (= 5 . $andro Botticelli . %re$tel-"erlag. SB >7>=7>=. %age at artonline.it /#talian0 http HH#pload.wiki&edia.orgHwikipediaHco&&on$Hth#&/HdHd4HSandroJBotticelliJ >.KpgH15 p;-SandroJBotticelliJ >.Kpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg/150px-Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg/150px-Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg/150px-Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg/150px-Sandro_Botticelli_083.jpg


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2he Birth of Ven"s /Botticelli0 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org

& e Birt of 'enus & e Birt of 'enus ( talian Nascita di Venere i$ a 14 @ painting /ySandro Botticelli. Botticelli wa$ co&&i$$ioned to paint the work /y the Medici fa&ily of lorence,$pecifically 8oren)o di %ierfrance$co de9 Medici #nder the infl#ence of hi$ co#$in 8oren)o de9 Medici,clo$e friend to Botticelli. t depict$ the godde$$ "en#$, ha'ing e&erged fro& the $ea a$ a f#lly grownwo&an, arri'ing at the $ea-$hore (which i$ related to the "en#$ Anadyo&ene &otif . !he painting i$ ondi$play at the ffi)i *allery in lorence, taly.

ontents

1 nterpretation$ = Style > +la$$ical in$piration 4 6eference$ 5 ;ternal link$

#nterpretations

!he iconography of Birth of Venus i$ $i&ilar to a de$cription of the e'ent (or rather, ade$cription of a $c#lpt#re of the e'ent in a poe& /y Angelo %oli)iano, the $tan%e per la giostra' 01 o$ingle te;t pro'ide$ the preci$e i&agery of the painting, howe'er, which ha$ led $cholar$ to propo$e&any $o#rce$ and interpretation$. 0= Art hi$torian$ who $peciali)e in the talian 6enai$$ance ha'e fo#nda eoplatonic interpretation, which wa$ &o$t clearly artic#lated /y rn$t *o&/rich, to /e the &o$tend#ring way to #nder$tand the painting. Botticelli repre$ented the eoplatonic idea of di'ine lo'e inthe for& of a n#de "en#$. 0>

or %lato 3 and $o for the &e&/er$ of the lorentine %latonic Acade&y 3 "en#$ had two a$pect$ $hewa$ an earthly godde$$ who aro#$ed h#&an$ to phy$ical lo'e or $he wa$ a hea'enly godde$$ whoin$pired intellect#al lo'e in the&. %lato f#rther arg#ed that conte&plation of phy$ical /ea#ty allowedthe &ind to /etter #nder$tand $pirit#al /ea#ty. So, looking at "en#$, the &o$t /ea#tif#l of godde$$e$,&ight at fir$t rai$e a phy$ical re$pon$e in 'iewer$ which then lifted their &ind$ toward$ the +reator. 05 A

eoplatonic reading of Botticelli9$ Birth of Venus $#gge$t$ that 15th-cent#ry 'iewer$ wo#ld ha'elooked at the painting and felt their &ind$ lifted to the real& of di'ine lo'e. More recently, G#e$tion$ ha'e ari$en a/o#t eoplatoni$& a$ the do&inant intellect#al $y$te& oflate 15th-cent#ry lorence, 0@ and $cholar$ ha'e indicated that there &ight /e other way$ to interpretBotticelli9$ &ythological painting$. n partic#lar, /oth Primavera and Birth of Venus ha'e /een $een a$wedding painting$ that $#gge$t appropriate /eha'ior$ for /ride$ and groo&$. 07

et another interpretation of the Birth of Venus (who$e title deri'e$ fro& "a$ari /#t who$eaction perhap$ /etter repre$ent$ the Arrival of Venus i$ pro'ided here /y it$ a#thor, +harle$ 6. Mack.


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!hi$ interpretation ha$ not /een adopted /y 6enai$$ance art hi$torian$ in general, 0 and it re&ain$ pro/le&atic, $ince it depend$ on the painting /eing co&&i$$ioned /y the Medici, yet the work i$ notdoc#&ented in Medici hand$ /efore 155 . Mack $ee$ the painting a$ an allegory e;tolling the 'irt#e$ of8oren)o de9 Medici. 0< According to hi$ reading of the painting, the $cene wa$ in$pired /y the te;t in a

o&eric hy&n p#/li$hed in lorence in 14 /y the *reek ref#gee ?e&etrio$ +halkokond

Cf a#g#$t gold-wreathed and /ea#tif#l Aphrodite $hall $ing to who$e do&ain /elong the /attle&ent$of all $ea-lo'ed +ypr#$ where, /lown /y the &oi$t /reath of Iephyro$, $he wa$ carried o'er the wa'e$of the re$o#nding $ea on $oft foa&. !he gold-filleted orae happily welco&ed her and clothed her withhea'enly rai&ent. 01 B#t &ore than a redi$co'ered o&eric hy&n wa$ likely in the &ind of theMedici fa&ily &e&/er who co&&i$$ioned thi$ painting fro& Botticelli. !he painter and the h#&ani$t$cholar$ who pro/a/ly ad'i$ed hi& wo#ld ha'e recalled that %liny the lder had &entioned a lo$t&a$terpiece of the cele/rated arti$t, Apelle$, repre$enting Venus Anadyomene (Venus Rising from the$ea . According to %liny, Ale;ander the *reat offered hi$ &i$tre$$, %anka$pe, a$ the &odel for the n#de"en#$ and later, reali)ing that Apelle$ had fallen in lo'e with the girl, ga'e her to the arti$t in a ge$t#reof e;tre&e &agnani&ity. %liny went on to note that Apelle$9 painting of %anka$pe a$ "en#$ wa$ later:dedicated /y A#g#$t#$ in the $hrine of hi$ father +ae$ar.: %liny al$o $tated that :the lower part of the

painting wa$ da&aged, and it wa$ i&po$$i/le to find anyone who co#ld re$tore it. . . . !hi$ pict#redecayed fro& age and rottenne$$, and ero... $#/$tit#ted for it another painting /y the hand of?orothe#$:. !h#$, in a $en$e, what the &ighty 6o&an$ co#ld not re$tore, their worthy $#cce$$or$, the

lorentine$, thro#gh the hand of Botticelli, co#ld recreate. %liny al$o noted a $econd painting /yApelle$ of "en#$ :$#perior e'en to hi$ earlier one,: that had /een /eg#n /y arti$t /#t left #nfini$hed.Cnce again, Botticelli, in hi$ 'er$ion of the Birth of Venus , &ight /e $een a$ co&pleting the ta$k /eg#n

/y hi$ ancient predece$$or, e'en $#rpa$$ing hi&. *i'ing added $#pport to thi$ interpretation ofBotticelli a$ a /orn-again Apelle$ i$ the fact that that 'ery clai& wa$ 'oiced in 14 /y golino "erinoin a poe& entitled :Cn *i'ing %rai$e to the i$tory of lorence.: 011

S#ch a deli/erately re-creati'e act a$ Botticelli &ay ha'e perfor&ed with hi$ Birth of Venus wo#ld go a long way toward$ e;plaining the c#rio#$ flatne$$ and linearity of the painting, which $ee&$o 'ery o#t of keeping with the direction of 6enai$$ance art and with Botticelli9$ own approach to

painting. Wa$ the two-di&en$ionality of thi$ painting a deli/erate atte&pt to replicate the $tyle ofancient painting a$ fo#nd on *reek 'a$e$ or on the wall$ of tr#$can to&/$ 01=

While Botticelli &ight well ha'e /een cele/rated a$ a re'i'ified Apelle$, hi$ Birth of Venus al$ote$tified to the $pecial nat#re of lorence9$ chief citi)en, 8oren)o de9 Medici. Altho#gh it now $ee&$that the painting wa$ e;ec#ted for another &e&/er of the Medici fa&ily, it likely wa$ intended tocele/rate and flatter it$ head, 8oren)o de9 Medici. !radition a$$ociate$ the i&age of "en#$ in Botticelli9$

painting with the lo'ely Si&onetta +attaneo "e$p#cci, with who& it i$ $#$pected /oth 8oren)o and hi$yo#nger /rother, *i#liano, were ch ena&ored. Si&onetta wa$, not coincidentally, /orn in the8ig#rian $ea$ide town of %orto'enere (9the port of "en#$9 . !h#$, in Botticelli9$ interpretation, %anka$pe(the ancient li'ing prototype of Si&onetta , the &i$tre$$ of Ale;ander the *reat (the 8a#rentian

predece$$or , /eco&e$ the lo'ely &odel for the lo$t Venus e;ec#ted /y the legendary Apelle$ (re/ornthro#gh the recreati'e talent$ of Botticelli , which ended #p in 6o&e, in$talled /y &peror A#g#$t#$ inthe te&ple dedicated to lorence9$ $#ppo$ed fo#nder D#li#$ +ae$ar. n the ca$e of Botticelli9$ Birth ofVenus , the $#gge$ted reference$ to 8oren)o, $#pported /y other internal indicator$ $#ch a$ the $tand ofla#rel /#$he$ at the right, wo#ld ha'e /een K#$t the $ort of thing er#dite lorentine h#&ani$t$ wo#ldha'e appreciated. Accordingly, /y o'ert i&plication, 8oren)o /eco&e$ the new Ale;ander the *reatwith an i&plied link to /oth A#g#$t#$, the fir$t 6o&an e&peror, and e'en to lorence9$ legendaryfo#nder, +ae$ar hi&$elf. 8oren)o, f#rther&ore, i$ not only &agnificent /#t, a$ wa$ Ale;ander in %liny9$$tory, al$o &agnani&o#$, a$ well. lti&ately, the$e reading$ of the Birth of Venus flatter not only the


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Medici and Botticelli /#t all of lorence, ho&e to the worthy $#cce$$or$ to $o&e of the greate$t fig#re$of antiG#ity, /oth in go'ernance and in the art$. 01>

!he$e e$$entially pagan reading$ of Botticelli9$ Birth of Venus $ho#ld not e;cl#de a &ore p#rely+hri$tian one, which &ay /e deri'ed fro& the eoplatonic reading of the painting indicated a/o'e."iewed fro& a religio#$ $tandpoint, the n#dity of "en#$ $#gge$t$ that of 'e /efore the all a$ well a$

the p#re lo'e of %aradi$e. Cnce landed, the godde$$ of lo'e will don the earthly gar/ of &ortal $in, anact that will lead to the ew 'e - the Madonna who$e p#rity i$ repre$ented /y the n#de "en#$. Cncedraped in earthly gar&ent$ $he /eco&e$ a per$onification of the +hri$tian +h#rch which offer$ a$pirit#al tran$port /ack to the p#re lo'e of eternal $al'ation. n thi$ ca$e the $callop $hell #pon whichthi$ i&age of "en#$H 'eHMadonnaH+h#rch $tand$ &ay /e $een in it$ traditionally $y&/olic pilgri&ageconte;t. #rther&ore, the /road e;pan$e of $ea $er'e$ a$ a re&inder of the "irgin Mary$9 title stellamaris , all#ding /oth to the Madonna9$ na&e (MariaH&ari$ and to the hea'enly /ody ("en#$H$tella . !he$ea /ring$ forth "en#$ K#$t a$ the "irgin gi'e$ /irth to the #lti&ate $y&/ol of lo'e, +hri$t. 014

6ather than choo$ing one of the &any interpretation$ offered for Botticelli9$ depiction of the Birth @ArrivalG of Venus it &ight /e /etter to 'iew it fro& a 'ariety of per$pecti'e$. !hi$ layeredapproachT&ythological, political, religio#$Twa$ intended. 015

Style

Botticelli9$ art wa$ ne'er f#lly co&&itted to nat#rali$&2 in co&pari$on to hi$ conte&porary?o&enico *hirlandaio, Botticelli $eldo& ga'e weight and 'ol#&e to hi$ fig#re$ and rarely #$ed a deep

per$pecti'al $pace. n the Birth of Venus , "en#$9 /ody i$ anato&ically i&pro/a/le, with elongated neckand tor$o. er po$e i$ i&po$$i/le altho#gh $he $tand$ in a cla$$ical contrappo$to $tance, her weight i$$hifted too far o'er the left leg for the po$e to /e held. Moreo'er, her po$itioning on the edge of the$hell (which cannot /e identified a$ real , wo#ld certainly ca#$e it to tip o'er. !he /odie$ and po$e$ ofthe wind$ to the left are e'en harder to fig#re o#t. !he /ackgro#nd i$ $#&&ary, and the fig#re$ ca$t no

$hadow$. t i$ clear that thi$ i$ a fanta$y i&age.04

"en#$ i$ an talian 6enai$$ance ideal red-haired, pale-$kinned, 'ol#pt#o#$. Botticelli ha$ picked o#t highlight$ in her hair with gold leaf and ha$ e&pha$i)ed the fe&ininity of her /ody (longneck, c#r'ine$$ . !he /rilliant light and $oothing colo#r$, the l#;#rio#$ garden, the gorgeo#$ draperie$of the ny&ph, and the ro$e$ floating aro#nd the /ea#tif#l n#de all $#gge$t that the painting i$ &eant to

/ring plea$#re to the 'iewer.


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apitoline Ven"s , derived from Aphrodite of nid"s

Ven"s de3 Medici lassical inspiration

!he central fig#re of "en#$ in the painting i$ 'ery $i&ilar to %ra;itele$9 $c#lpt#re of Aphrodite.!he 'er$ion of her /irth, i$ where $he ari$e$ fro& the $ea, already a f#lly grown wo&an. n cla$$ical antiG#ity, the $ea $hell wa$ a &etaphor for a wo&an9$ '#l'a. 01@

!he po$e of Botticelli9$ Venus i$ re&ini$cent of the Venus de Medici , a &ar/le $c#lpt#re fro&cla$$ical antiG#ity in the Medici collection which Botticelli had opport#nity to $t#dy.

'eferences

( $tan%e de Messer Angelo Poli%iano cominciate per la giostra del magnifico ?iuliano di Pietro de Medici#


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N a b :Botticelli9$ Birth of "en#$:. S&arthi$tory at Ohan Acade&y. 6etrie'ed ?ece&/er 1


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&rima$era /paintin)0 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org

(rimavera (rimavera , al$o known a$ Allegory of Spring , i$ a te&pera panel painting /y talian6enai$$ance arti$t Sandro Botticelli. %ainted ca. 14 =, the painting i$ de$cri/ed in Culture " Values (= < a$ :0o ne of the &o$t pop#lar painting$ in We$tern art:. 01 t i$ al$o, according to Botticelli#

Primavera (1


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omposition

http HH#pload.wiki&edia.orgHwikipediaHco&&on$Hth#&/H=H= H%ri&a'eraJ >.KpgH== p;-%ri&a'eraJ >.Kpg

"en#$ $tanding in her arch. !he painting feat#re$ $i; fe&ale fig#re$ and two &ale, along with a /lindfolded p#tto, in an orange gro'e. !o the right of the painting, lora, the godde$$ of flower$ and the$ea$on of $pring, $tand$ in a floral-patterned dre$$ $cattering flower$, collected in the fold$ of hergown. er neare$t co&panion i$ +hlori$, a wo&an in diaphano#$ white. +hlori$ i$ /eing $ei)ed /y Iephyr#$, the *reek god of the we$t wind. i$ cheek$ are p#ffed, hi$e;pre$$ion intent, and hi$ #nnat#ral co&ple;ion $eparate$ hi& fro& the re$t of the fig#re$. !he tree$aro#nd hi& /low in the direction of hi$ entry, a$ doe$ the $kirt of the wo&an he i$ $ei)ing. !he draperyof her co&panion /low$ in the other direction. +l#$tered on the left, !he !hree *race$ in diaphano#$ white, Koin hand$ in a dance. Merc#ry, ared-draped yo#th with a $word and a hel&et near the& rai$e$ a wooden rod toward$ $o&e wi$py grayclo#d$. !wo of the wo&en wear pro&inent necklace$. !he flying cher#/ ha$ an arrow nocked to loo$e,directed toward$ the dancing girl$. +entral and $o&ewhat i$olated fro& the other fig#re$ $tand$ "en#$, a red-draped wo&an in

/l#e. 8ike the flower-gatherer, $he ret#rn$ the 'iewer9$ ga)e. !he tree$ /ehind her for& a /roken arch todraw the eye. !he pa$toral $cenery i$ ela/orate. Botticelli (= = indicate$ there are 5 identified plant$pecie$ depicted in the painting, with a/o#t 1< different flower$. 04 Botticelli' Primavera (1 ha'e /een $pecifically na&ed. 0=

!he o'erall appearance of the painting i$ $i&ilar to le&i$h tape$trie$ that were pop#lar at theti&e. 05
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Primavera_03.jpg/220px-Primavera_03.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Primavera_03.jpg/220px-Primavera_03.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Primavera_03.jpg/220px-Primavera_03.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Primavera_03.jpg/220px-Primavera_03.jpg


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9etails# %ri&a'era

ttp:))upload*wikimedia*org)wikipedia)commons)t umb)e)e+)(rimavera +-*.pg)/00p1 2(rimavera +-*.pg "ario#$ interpretation$ of the fig#re$ ha'e /een $et forth, /#t it i$ generally agreed that at lea$t at onele'el the painting i$, a$ characteri)ed /y +#nningha& and 6eich (= < , :an ela/orate &ythologicalalle)ory of the /#rgeoning fertility of the world.: 01 lena +apretti in Botticelli (= = $#gge$t$ that thetypical interpretation i$ th#$ !he reading of the pict#re i$ fro& right to left Iephyr#$, the /iting wind of March, kidnap$ and

po$$e$$e$ the ny&ph +hlori$, who& he later &arrie$ and tran$for&$ into a deity2 $he /eco&e$ thegodde$$ of Spring, eternal /earer of life, and i$ $cattering ro$e$ on the gro#nd. 07

!hi$ i$ a tale fro& the fifth /ook of C'id9$ &asti in which the wood ny&ph +hlori$9$ nakedchar&$ attracted the fir$t wind of Spring, Iephyr. Iephyr p#r$#ed her and a$ $he wa$ ra'i$hed, flower$$prang fro& her &o#th and $he /eca&e tran$for&ed into lora, godde$$ of flower$. n C'id9$ work thereader i$ told 9till then the earth had /een /#t of one colo#r9. ro& +hlori$9 na&e the colo#r &ay /eg#e$$ed to ha'e /een green - the *reek word for green i$ =hloros , the root of word$ like chlorophyll -and &ay /e why Botticeli painted Iephyr in $hade$ of /l#i$h-green. 0

"en#$ pre$ide$ o'er the garden - an orange gro'e (a Medici $y&/ol . 0< She $tand$ in front ofthe dark lea'e$ of a &yrtle /#$h. According to e$iod, "en#$ had /een /orn of the $ea after the $e&enof ran#$ had fallen #pon the water$. +o&ing a$hore in a $hell $he had clothed her nakedne$$ in&yrtle, and $o the plant /eca&e $acred to her. 01 !he *race$ acco&panying her (and targeted /y +#pid

/ear Kewel$ in the color$ of the Medici fa&ily, while Merc#ry9$ cad#ce#$ keep$ the garden $afe fro&threatening clo#d$. 07 0< 0

!he /a$ic identification$ of character$ i$ widely e&/raced, 011 01= 01> /#t other na&e$ are$o&eti&e$ #$ed for the fe&ale$ on the right. According to Botticelli (1< 1 , the wo&an in the flowereddre$$ i$ %ri&a'era (a per$onification of Spring who$e companion i$ lora. 014 !he &ale fig#re i$generally accepted a$ Merc#ry /#t ha$ /een identified a$ Mar$ /y Beth arri$ and Ste'en I#cker ofS&A6!hi$tory. 015

n addition to it$ o'ert &eaning, the painting ha$ /een interpreted a$ an ill#$tration of the idealof eoplatonic lo'e pop#lari)ed a&ong the Medici$ and their follower$ /y Mar$ilio icino. 0@ 01@ !he

eoplatonic philo$opher$ $aw "en#$ a$ r#ling o'er /oth earthly and di'ine lo'e and arg#ed that $hewa$ the cla$$ical eG#i'alent of the "irgin Mary2 0< thi$ i$ all#ded to /y the way $he i$ fra&ed in an altar-like $etting that i$ $i&ilar to conte&porary i&age$ of the "irgin Mary. 015
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Primavera_04.jpg/133px-Primavera_04.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Primavera_04.jpg/133px-Primavera_04.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Primavera_04.jpg/133px-Primavera_04.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Primavera_04.jpg/133px-Primavera_04.jpg


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n thi$ interpretation, a$ $et o#t in $andro Botticelli# ,000I0)!,),1 (= , the earthy carnallo'e repre$ented /y Iephyr#$ to the right i$ reno#nced /y the central fig#re of the *race$, who ha$t#rned her /ack to the $cene, #nconcerned /y the threat repre$ented to her /y +#pid. er foc#$ i$ onMerc#ry, who hi&$elf ga)e$ /eyond the can'a$ at what ?ei&ling a$$ert$ h#ng a$ the co&panion pieceto Primavera Pallas and the Centaur , in which :lo'e oriented toward$ knowledge: (e&/odied /y

%alla$ Athena pro'e$ tri#&phant o'er l#$t ($y&/oli)ed /y the centa#r .017

4istory

http HH#pload.wiki&edia.orgHwikipediaHco&&on$Hth#&/H1H1 HSandroJBotticelliJ 41.KpgH=5 p;-SandroJBotticelliJ 41.Kpg

Merc#ry &ay ha'e /een &odeled after 8oren)o di %ierfrance$co de9 Medici, 01 or po$$i/ly hi$ co#$in*i#liano de9 Medici. 01< !he origin of the painting i$ $o&ewhat #nclear. t &ay ha'e /een createdin re$pon$e to a reG#e$t in 1477 of 8oren)o de9 Medici, 0= or it &ay ha'e /een co&&i$$ioned $o&ewhatlater /y 8oren)o or hi$ co#$in 8oren)o di %ierfrance$co de9 Medici. 0=1 0== Cne theory $#gge$t$ 8oren)oco&&i$$ioned the portrait to cele/rate the /irth of hi$ nephew *i#lio di *i#liano de9 Medici (whowo#ld one day /eco&e %ope , /#t changed hi$ &ind after the a$$a$$ination of *i#lo9$ father, hi$ /rother*i#liano, ha'ing it in$tead co&pleted a$ a wedding gift for 8oren)o di %ierfrance$co de9 Medici, who&arried in 14 =. 07

t i$ freG#ently $#gge$ted that 8oren)o di %ierfrance$co i$ the &odel for Merc#ry in the portrait,and hi$ /ride Se&irande repre$ented a$ lora (or "en#$ . 01 0=> 0=4 0=5 t ha$ al$o /een propo$ed that the&odel for "en#$ wa$ Si&onetta "e$p#cci, wife of Marco "e$p#cci and perhap$ the &i$tre$$ of *i#lianode9 Medici (who i$ al$o $o&eti&e$ $aid to ha'e /een the &odel for Merc#ry . 01oung Man , $elf!portrait as an ld Man , Portrait of an ld Man !he collection al$o contain$ $o&e ancient $c#lpt#re$, $#ch a$ the Arrotino and the T:o3restlers .

#n pop"lar c"lt"re

!he $e#& i$ &entioned in chapter Y of enry Da&e$9$ 1 75 no'el, Roderic= 5udson . t i$$aid that :!here are 'ery fine antiG#e$ in the ffi)i.: !he $e#& i$ &entioned in Book 1, chapter =4 of enry Da&e$9$ no'el, Portrait of a Lady .: o#9d ha'e liked a few thing$ fro& the ffi)i and the %ittiTthat what yo#9d ha'e liked,: $aid Mada&eMerle. n the . M. or$ter no'el, A Room :ith a Vie: , 8#cy oneych#rch i$ carried to :$o&e $tep$ inthe ffi)i Arcade: /y *eorge &er$on, when $he faint$ after witne$$ing a rder in the %ia))a dellaSignoria. !he !ho&a$ %ynchon no'el, V', contain$ a chapter centered aro#nd an atte&pted ro//ery of The

Birth of Venus fro& the $e#&. n the $py-parody tele'i$ion $how, Archer , Mallory re&ind$ her $on, Sterling Archer, a/o#t an

#nfort#nate : ffi)i fia$co:, which $how$ the facade of the fa&ed $e#& in fla&e$. A racetrack of the $a&e na&e i$ feat#red in the ga&e Pro ect ?otham Racing 4 for Y/o;. !he $e#& i$ &entioned in the %hi$h $ong : o# nKoy My$elf:. A portion of the 1 no'el +nferno.


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See also

+ollection$ of the ffi)i

6otes

( Sigfried *iedion, $pace# Time and Architecture (1


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%ala))o "ecchio Uffizi 7andmarks *iotto9$ +a&panile %onte "ecchio !heatre$

Gardens and parks Bo/oli *arden$ Medici 'illa$ +oordinate$ 4>Z4@[ 7\ 11Z15[1.7@ @>


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#talyG"ides8it9 2he Uffizi Gallery /Galleria de)li Uffizi0, Florence #taly

italyg#ide$.it

!he collection of work$ in the Uffizi Gallery cannot /e co&pared to any other world collectionand i$ pro/a/ly the only one to ha'e :"st masterpieces of e*ceptional $al"e8

!he *allery i$ ho#$ed in the /#ilding /#ilt /y osimo # of Medici and de$igned /y Vasari in15@ . B#t the collection wa$ $tarted in 1574 when +o$i&o9$ $on, Francesco # , tran$for&ed the $econdfloor of the "a$arian /#ilding into a place 9 to :al= in :ith paintings# sculptures and other preciousthings 9 and entr#$ted B"ontalenti with the creation of a 2ri1"ne where art o/Kect$ co#ld /e e;hi/ited.

"a$ari, who died that $a&e year, co#ld hardly ha'e i&agined that in$ide that /#ilding, /orn toho#$e the Magi$tracy, al&o$t all the &aKor painter$ (not K#$t lorentine who$e /iographie$ he hadwritten in one of the &o$t intere$ting doc#&ent$ on the hi$tory of art, Lives , wo#ld ha'e /een on $how.

t wa$ /a$ed on an idea of "a$ari, who had p#t the portrait of each arti$t with hi$ /iography, that7eopoldo de3Medici $tarted the rich collection of artists3 self-portraits8 !hi$ kept on growing o'erthe cent#rie$ with a f#rther =5 $elf-portrait$ arri'ing in the = th cent#ry, often gift$ fro& the arti$t$the&$el'e$. 8ike +hagall who went to lorence hi&$elf to hand o'er hi$ portrait.

!o 8eopoldo9$ lo'e of collection$ we al$o owe the e*traordinary miniat"res collection whichnow ha$ 1>


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off$pring.n 17 =, for the fir$t ti&e the$e work$ were organi)ed into the Ancient Picture Room , /#t it wa$

the reordering in 1

The Uffizi Gallery_ Saturday, N - Instapaper

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Transcript of The Uffizi Gallery_ Saturday, N - Instapaper