Renaissance produced some of the most prolific artists, who are still declared today as a great level of talent and performance. One of the most dominant artists on this list is Botticelli (1445-1510). He embraced a painting style that emphasized a pure state of mind and a preference for nostalgia, which made him "a special object of pre-Raphaelite admiration in the nineteenth century ..." 1 However, outside his own life, Botticelli became "Forgotten Florentine", as his work "Survived centuries of neglect before it was rediscovered by the Victorians." 2
Like many of his contemporaries, Botticelli had an impressive, even emotional aspect of his painting. He was energetic and intense, but at the same time he was redone in performance. Grace was depleted by its linear representation of the design and the combination of crisp colors that enhanced subtle, natural details. Botticelli with significant sensitivity to the artists of the Middle Ages combined all these attributes in his remarkable works. This is most apparent in his main paintings of Primavera and the Birth of Venus in addition to a number of other images that were equally outstanding. Before exploring these creations, it is useful to get acquainted with the background of this famous artist.
Alessandro di Mariano Philippi was born in Florence in 1445. His family affectionately nicknamed him Botticelli, who is the Italian correspondence of the word "botichello", which means "a small glass of wine"; this name will stay with him forever. His working-class family was proud to provide tanning and quality weaving products that were preserved at the time. Despite the fact that the family was rather poor, the family was united and existed in a happy home life. Botticelli was a talented but restless child, and his parent decided to remove him from school and instead send him to work as a student of the artist.
His training began with the jeweler Maso Finiguerra, from where he moved to the studio of the artist Fra Filippo Lippi in 1461. Most of Botticelli’s experience was painting frescoes for Florentine churches and cathedrals that historically led to work with the artist and engraver Antonio del Pollayolo. In addition to learning his craft from these artists, Botticelli also made valuable connections with rich and powerful families. Confident of his talent and ability to perform duties, Botticelli founded his workshop in 1470. It was at this time that he received his first appointment and had the opportunity to demonstrate his significant gifts. His first patron was the Merchants. The guild for which he completed the Persistence picture for the Council Hall. This was provided to him through his family connections the Medici, the most prominent of the Florentine families.
During his career, Botticelli attracted several noteworthy patrons, including the rich Medici dynasty, Pope Sixtus IV and the writer Dante Alhieri. It was through these clients that Botticelli completed some of his greatest works, which turned him into a highly regarded artist of the time. The Medici family had a significant impact on the success of Botticelli and because of his working life, which provided him with a steady circle of clients. In addition, the Medici themselves were very eager for numerous original paintings by Botticelli. Of these, Primavera (above) and Birth of Venus were two of the most outstanding works created by Botticelli for Medici, and they were featured in Medici Villa Castello. In the interpretation of these paintings, reference was made to the long, thin proportions of Venus, together with the shedding of soft golden light, which "can depict Venus as a symbol of both pagan and Christian love." These two paintings helped to establish Botticelli as having secular and non-secular abilities with his painting.
As soon as the Sistine Chapel was completed in 1481, Pope Sixtus IV was to assemble a special group of artisans to decorate the interiors; Botticelli was one of them called to contribute. Satisfied with the opportunity, Botticelli went to the Vatican in Rome, and there he executed "Punishment of Corach", "Youth of Moses" and "Temptation of Christ." A year later in Rome, Botticelli returned to Florence in 1482, and he began to think more after than ever before. His work in the Sistine Chapel brought him many new missions, which ranged from objects from secular to religious subjects and took the form of banners, wedding chests (casson) and paintings. His issuance of images of the Madonna and Reggion was especially known, and his workshop created many reproductions of its own originals, since they were too popular and therefore financially profitable not to use. Botticelli also hired a few assistants and got to a level he never expected.
During this time, Botticelli also began to illustrate the most prolific work of the writer Dante Algeri “The Divine Comedy”. By order of Lorenzo Medici for these images Botticelli sent time from 1480 to 1500, working on these drawings, but they were never completed. By 1490, Botticelli's condition had changed and required his work, especially religious items diminished. This happened because the Medici family was expelled from Italy, and the Dominican monk Savonarola preached basic moral and religious reforms. These events had a profound effect on Botticelli, and his work reflected his state of mind. He refused to adapt to the realism of anatomy that Leonardo Da Vinci used, or to the latest themes announced by the new artistic elite. Instead, he wanted to remain in a romantic reflection of an expression from the past. Throughout his life, Botticelli remained in his hometown of Florence and in the house his father had bought for his family many years ago. When his father died, Botticelli continued to live with his brothers in this house. Given his devotion and love for his homeland, Botticelli was more concerned about the later events in Florence. He survived decades of decline, and when he died in 1510, he was buried in his parish in the Ognissanti church; Unfortunately, today there are no signs of the grave.
The genius of Botticelli was re-discovered in the Victorian age, and the admiration for this work continues to the present. For those with artistic appreciation, it's easy to see why. Some of the most outstanding features of the Botticelli style were embroidering many wonderful techniques. His early influence of the artisans, whom he studied, greatly influenced his work. Botticelli's appeal for fine details, especially his haloing, was exemplary; His excellent work to increase the most "exquisite brush in a fine grid of gold." 4 Botticelli was considered the master of the line because he was graceful and disciplined in what Sir David Piper called "the seductive charm of his smooth line." The efforts of Botticelli, who created distinction and beauty in his colors, garments, facial expressions and other minorities, but exquisite subjects were extraordinary. It is not surprising that he is today concerned as one of the brightest and most durable artists of the Renaissance.
1
Gaunt, William, Great Artists, ISBN 1 85052 0674, 1986, p
2
Mitchell, B. & Bragg, Melvin, Great Artists, ISBN 0 99994 6943, 1987, p
3
http://www.artrenewal.org
