Sandro Botticelli
By Serena Tanzer
Early Life
Botticelli was born in 1445, in Florence Italy.
Most of his life was spent in Florence, where he worked under Fra Filippo Lippi.
At age fifteen he finished his painting training, he then started working. Some of his pieces include Primavera, The Birth of Venus and Mars and Venus. Most of his work was in high demand from the Medici Clan.
Primavera (Allegory of Spring)
This painting was made in c. 1478 in Florence, Italy. It was commissioned by the Medici family.
This painting illustrates the 'ism' Neoplatonism or love for a divine being. There are a number of reasons why this ism is present. The blooming flowers and oranges represent new life which could be translated into the birth of Christ, or Easter, which just so happens to occur during spring time. Individualism also has a role in this painting. The main focus is drawn to a woman, most likely Mary, in the middle of the painting. She is dressed in elaborate robes, she also has a cherub flying around her head. When you look closely at this painting you will see that all of the facial expressions and poses are different.
When I was younger, I distinctly remember my grandmother having this painting hanging in the dining room. Her, my mother and my aunt would once in a while try to recreate the painting using oil pastels or water color. So in result to that I have many different canvasses of different aspects in that painting. Besides the nostalgic memories, I admire all the detail and texture put in to this painting and it amazes me how someone could sit down and spend time doing this.
Citations
Botticelli, Sandro. Primavera. 1478. Galleria Delgi Uffizi, n.p.
"Botticelli." International Dictionary of Art and Artists. Gale, 1990. Biography in Context. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
"Sandro Botticelli." Almanac of Famous People. Gale, 2011. Biography in Context. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
"Sandro Botticelli." Authors and Artists for Young Adults. Vol. 84. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Biography in Context. Web. 18 Nov. 2013