Sandro Botticelli
Artist of the Renaissance
Sandro Bottecelli
(Self Portrait)
"Sandro Botticelli." Gale Biography in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Biography in Context. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Primavera
(Allegory of Spring)
Made in 1482
The Birth of Venus
Birth and Death
Born: 1445 (not sure of exact date) in Florence, Italy
Death: May 07, 1510 in Florence, Italy
Background
Sandro Bottecelli (AKA Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi) is considered one of the greatest painters of the Renaissance time period he created two very famous pieces of artwork know as "Primavera" (or Allegory of Spring) and "The Birth of Venus" (both above). Sandro got multiple patronages from The Medici's and was held as one of the most esteemed painters and artists in Italy, but later in the Renaissance his works and reputation soon fell, once his death came in 1510 people such as the pre-raphealites and other artists would imatate his arts but he was not recognized until later into the 19th century. He was also a Humanist because of his focus of human perfection and curves and lines of the human body.
Apprenticeship
Sandro decided he wanted to be a painter in the year 1461 and the became an apprentice to Fra Filippo Lippi one of the only devotional painters left and who was very popular with the Medici, under the friar's tutelage he learned techniques of an Italian artist Masaccio. Once Filippo Lippi left to go on a commision, Sandro left and came in contact with brothers Piero and Antonio Pollaiuolo and learned about perspective and how the body moved. That was the last thing that Bottecelli needed to become a great artist.
Association with The Medici's
Sandro Bottecelli was discovered early in his career of him being his own artist not an apprentice by the Medici's because of one of his early works called "Adoration of the Magi" which showed beautifully curved lines and gracious postures of the human body. He was discovered and patronized by Lorenzo De' Medici and his associates.