The original painting would have been hung high on a wall and so designed to be viewed from below. Zephyrus and Chloris are looking at each other. The figures are spread in a rough line across the front of the picture space, "set side by side like pearls on a string". Flora, the goddess of flowers and the season of spring. [5] As depictions of subjects from classical mythology on a very large scale, they were virtually unprecedented in Western art since classical antiquity.[6]. It was the art historian, Giorgio Vasari, who named it "Primavera" after seeing it hanging in the Villa Castella in 1550. Pallas and the Centaur was completed by Botticelli in the same year as Primavera and although they took different lengths of time to complete, they are believed by many to actually be complementary pieces which fitted together in a way that many artists from more recent art movements have produced whole series of paintings, such as Seasons by Alphonse Mucha and the Haystacks series by French impressionist Claude Monet. The wind of early Spring blows on the land and brings forth growth and flowers, presided over by Venus, goddess of April, with at the left Mercury, the god of the month of May in an early Roman calendar, chasing away the last clouds before summer. She wears a larger broach, said to represent the Medici colours, which draws more attention to her breasts. He gives their clothing a translucent look, with exquisite details and almost lace-like texture in places. During the Italian campaign of World War Two, the picture was moved to Montegufoni Castle about ten miles south west of Florence to protect it from wartime bombing. It has been argued that the flowers do not grow smaller to the rear of the picture space, certainly a feature of the millefleur tapestries.[15]. Many scholars see it as a unique time with characteristics all its own. Here a group of three Graces, possibly Beauty, Chastity and Voluptas hold hands and appear to dance together in a circle. Above her head is her own son, Cupid (also called Amor). The bottom of the painting was probably at about the viewer's eye-level, so rather higher than it is hung today. In a different interpretation the earthy carnal love represented by Zephyrus to the right is renounced by the central figure of the Graces, who has turned her back to the scene, unconcerned by the threat represented to her by Cupid. There are several images of the original Primavera painting here and each is included alongside links to where you can buy your own copy as a framed giclee art print, poster or stretched canvas from recommended retailer, Art.com. The Three Graces are sisters, and traditionally accompany Venus. They were the cousins of Lorenzo de' Medici ("Lorenzo il Magnifico"), who was effectively the ruler of Florence, and after their father's early death had been his wards. "[7] Chloris the nymph overlaps Flora, the goddess she transforms into. [36][37] Venus' hand gesture of welcome, probably directed to the viewer, is the same as that used by Mary to the Archangel Gabriel in contemporary paintings of the Annunciation. Ettlingers, 118–119 gives a spirited quick summary. His painting was entitled "Ready-Made-Bouquet". Flora and Venus look out at the viewer, the Cupid is blindfolded, and Mercury has turned his back on the others, and looks up at the clouds. According to Hesiod, Venus had been born of the sea after the semen of Uranus had fallen upon the waters. This painting has received as much study and research as almost any other painting from the Renaissance period but few complete decisions have ever really been made, leading to yet more conjecture over the meaning of the painting, the significance of the other characters besides Venus and many other issues related to this work. It is believed to have been commissioned by one of the powerful and wealthy Medici family members. Religion played a huge role within the country of this provincial region at this time, even more than it does today, and so it was inevitable that such topics would feature frequently within the art works of the major names of Italian art during that period. Like the flower-gatherer, she returns the viewer's gaze. In 1956 the Belgium surrealist artist, Magritte, painted a satire featuring Flora's character in front of his own trademark bowler-hatted character. It is also the Garden of the Hesperides of classical myth, from which the golden apples used in the Judgement of Paris came; the Hellenistic Greeks had decided that these were citrus fruits, exotic to them. [59] Recent datings tend to prefer the early 1480s, after Botticelli's return from Rome, suggesting it was directly commissioned in connection with this wedding, a view supported by many. This has not been confirmed and if it was the case, their portraits are certainly an idealization of their images. Some historians have also explored the symbolic meaning of the flowers and plants, such as the seductive strawberries on Flora. [38], Punning allusions to Medici names probably include the golden balls of the oranges, recalling those on the Medici coat of arms, the laurel trees at right, for either Lorenzo, and the flames on the costume of both Mercury (for whom they are a regular attribute) and Venus, which are also an attribute of Saint Laurence (Lorenzo in Italian). However, it seems that some of the plants, like the coltsfoot and hellebores would not have been in flower in Spring. As depictions of subjects from classical mythology on a very large scale they were virtually unprecedented in Western art since classical antiquity. At a time when most paintings were of religious scenes, Primavera was likely to have been quite controversial. [64] Since 1919, it has hung in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. RENAISSANCE. Botticelli's Primavera portrays a scene of mythological characters as was common for this artist and the amount of detail given to each character makes it a highly interesting painting which can keep your attention for a prolonged period. [35], In addition to its overt meaning, the painting has been interpreted as an illustration of the ideal of Neoplatonic love popularized among the Medicis and their followers by Marsilio Ficino. Botticelli's popularity faded during his own lifetime but he was revered by the Pre-Raphaelites and during the early 1900s, numerous articles were written about him, reviving interest in his wonderful art once more. [42] In Ovid's work the reader is told 'till then the earth had been but of one colour'. She is dressed in a beautiful floral gown and scatters new spring flowers which are held in the folds of her dress. During the Renaissance periods if was quite common for artists to take several years to complete a major work, including regular revisions as their artistic minds wandered in different directions. Chastity appears to be without a necklace or jewellery and it is possible that Cupid's arrow is pointing in her direction as she gazes at the next figure, Mercury, in his distinctive winged sandals. Sandro Botticelli - Sandro Botticelli - Secular patronage and works: Botticelli is the earliest European artist whose paintings of secular historical subjects survive in some number and are equal or superior in importance to his religious paintings. Since 1919 the painting has been part of the collection of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. [55] It hung over a large lettuccio, an elaborate piece of furniture including a raised base, a seat and a backboard, probably topped with a cornice. Deimling, 45–46. The costumes of the figures are versions of the dress of contemporary Florence, though the sort of "quasi-theatrical costumes designed for masquerades of the sort that Vasari wrote were invented by Lorenzo de' Medici for civic festivals and tournaments. Botticelli was away in Rome for many months in 1481/82, painting in the Sistine Chapel, and suggested dates are in recent years mostly later than this, but still sometimes before. [2], The painting depicts a group of figures from classical mythology in a garden, but no story has been found that brings this particular group together. [10], The pastoral scenery is elaborate. It has also been argued that Venus was modelled on a notable beauty of the time, Simonetta Vespucci, who it appears had captured Botticelli's heart, along with many others. In La Primavera, Botticelli created a lively, interactive scene, based on several different sources including, Ovid's Fasti, a poetic calendar of Roman festivals; and De Rerum Nature (On the Nature of Things), a philosophical poem by the classical writer Titus Lucretius Carus (1st century BCE). La Primavera (Spring) The Birth of Venus Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici Fashion and a Portrait of a Young Woman Dissecting Botticelli’s Adoration of the Magi Mariko Mori on Botticelli’s The Annunciation Perugino, ... for example, which was ruled by a succession of Dukes with absolute power). [57], In the first edition of his Life of Botticelli, published in 1550, Giorgio Vasari said that he had seen this painting, and the Birth of Venus, hanging in the Medici country Villa di Castello. But Mercury seems clearly to be looking above him, as he works on the clouds. The movement of the composition is from right to left, so following that direction the standard identification of the figures is: at far right "Zephyrus, the biting wind of March, kidnaps and possesses the nymph Chloris, whom he later marries and transforms into a deity; she becomes the goddess of Spring, eternal bearer of life, and is scattering roses on the ground. [33][34] One scholar suggested in 2011 that the central figure is not Venus at all, but Persephone. The 1498 inventory estimated the value of the Primavera at 100 Lira. This remarkable painting survived the "Bonfire of the Vanities" in 1497, when thousands of objects, like mirrors, cosmetics and "immoral" works of art were deemed "sinful" and burnt on a huge bonfire. RENAISSANCE. The central Grace looks towards him, while the other two seem to look at each other. [13] It is now known that in the setting for which the painting was designed the bottom was about at eye level, or slightly above it, partly explaining "the gently rising plane" on which the figures stand. It is now held at the Uffizi in Florence, Italy and has been there for many years, becoming one of the major draws of an impressive collection in the city where the Renaissance first began. His figures appear graceful and almost weightless. He swoops down suddenly, his cheeks puffed as he blows in. Allegory of Spring is the alternative name for this painting which was created by Botticelli in 1482 and was made from tempera on panel. Simonetta was the aunt of Lorenzo's bride Semirande. Please see below for a summarised list of the best Botticelli paintings that are featured throughout this website. A passage in Virgil's Aeneid describes him clearing the skies with his caduceus. All of the links included within this website offer Primavera as a high quality print for those looking to add one of Botticelli's finest paintings to their home or office wall. The lush growth and flowers indicate that the time of year is Spring and many experts seem to agree that Botticelli has depicted stories, poems and ideas from people such as Ovid and scholars like Poliziano to create this "allegory of spring". Her expression is quite hard to read and she fascinates both the general viewer and art experts. Probably ground-breaking for the content it depicted, Primavera deserves the incredible attention and adoration it now receives. He faces away from the rest of the group and some experts have suggested that he might have been placed there as "protector" of the garden. This website brings you detailed information on the Primavera painting as well as looking further into the career of Botticelli as a whole. The trees behind her form a broken arch to draw the eye. [47], Another inspiration for the painting seems to have been the poem by Lucretius "De rerum natura", which includes the lines, "Spring-time and Venus come, and Venus' boy, / The winged harbinger, steps on before, / And hard on Zephyr's foot-prints Mother Flora, / Sprinkling the ways before them, filleth all / With colors and with odors excellent."[48][49][50]. [3] Most critics agree that the painting is an allegory based on the lush growth of Spring, but accounts of any precise meaning vary, though many involve the Renaissance Neoplatonism which then fascinated intellectual circles in Florence. Rather oddly, Vasari says both paintings contained female nudes, which is not strictly the case here. Lightbown, 126–140; Ettlingers, 122–124; Dempsey, Wind, 116–117. © www.Sandro-Botticelli.org 2018. [66] The work has darkened considerably over the course of time.[44]. The Renaissance is one of the most interesting and disputed periods of European history. [65], It was returned to the Uffizi Gallery where it remains to the present day. Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de Medici was part of the Popolani branch of the family and his marriage to Semiramide was one of convenience rather than love, uniting two powerful families. [44] As Poliziano's poem, "Rusticus", was published in 1483 and the painting is generally held to have been completed by around 1482,[1][45] some scholars have argued that the influence was reversed,[46] bearing in mind that Poliziano is generally thought to have helped with devising the allegory in the painting. Primavera is an incredible masterpiece both in terms of Botticelli's painterly skills and the story it tells. Detailed elements worth checking out have included Flora who stands immediately next to Venus, Mercury who may have been modeled after Giuliano de Medici, Zephyrus and Chloris who are to the far right of the painting, plus also The Three Graces who play together to the nearest left of Venus. Of the two, the Birth of Venus is even more popular. It has been studied, analysed and interpreted over the centuries but above all it has been admired for its incredible draughtsmanship, detail and beauty. Primavera (Italian pronunciation: [primaˈveːra], meaning "Spring"), is a large panel painting in tempera paint by the Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli made in the late 1470s or early 1480s (datings vary). "[16] The lack of an obvious narrative may relate to the world of pageants and tableaux vivants as well as typically static Gothic allegories. The painting is seen as a symbolic depiction also of Spring thanks to the background items which sit behind the mytholigical portraits and occasionally interacts with them, particularly in the case of the cherubs who fly above Venus. Primavera is an incredible masterpiece both in terms of Botticelli's … [56], In the same room was Botticelli's Pallas and the Centaur, and also a large tondo with the Virgin and Child. Botticelli's Primavera painting is amongst the most famous to have come from his productive career which spread across the 15th century. It draws from a number of classical and Renaissance literary sources, including the works of the Ancient Roman poet Ovid and, less certainly, Lucretius, and may also allude to a poem by Poliziano, the Medici house poet who may have helped Botticelli devise the composition. Zephyr pursued her and as she was ravished, flowers sprang from her mouth and she became transformed into Flora, goddess of flowers. This idea is reinforced by the prominent display of his sword. Flora's smile was very unusual in painting at this date. In the centre (but not exactly so) and somewhat set back from the other figures stands Venus, a red-draped woman in blue. The painting features six female figures and two male, along with a cupid, in an orange grove. Such puns for the Medici, and in Venus and Mars the Vespucci, run through all Botticelli's mythological paintings. Artist Sandro remains one of the most popular within the whole of Art.com's Renaissance section and his Primavera work is one of his most prominent of all. [20] As well as being part of a sequence over the season, Mercury in dispelling the clouds is acting as the guard of the garden, partly explaining his military dress and his facing out of the picture space. The setting is an orange-grove, oranges being a symbol of the Medici family in Florence. The magnificent, original tempura painting on a wooden panel, measuring 202cm by 314cm, hangs in the Uffizi Gallery Museum in Florence. That is the mystery of genius. At the extreme left Mercury, clothed in red with a sword and a helmet, raises his caduceus or wooden rod towards some wispy gray clouds. [41] The group at the right of the painting was inspired by a description by the Roman poet Ovid of the arrival of Spring (Fasti, Book 5, 2 May). It has been described as "one of the most written about, and most controversial paintings in the world",[1] and also "one of the most popular paintings in Western art". Next to Flora stands Venus, Goddess of Love. Analysis and Interpretation of Birth of Venus by Botticelli. From antique sarcophagi, from a few gems and reliefs, and perhaps some fragments of Aretine ware; from those drawings of classical remains by contemporary artists which were circulated in the Florentine workshops, like the architects' pattern-books of the 18th century; from such scanty and mediocre material, Botticelli has created one of the most personal evocations of physical beauty in the whole of art, the Three Graces of the Primavera. Botticelli's popularity faded during his own lifetime but he was revered by the Pre-Raphaelites and during the early 1900s, numerous articles were written about him, reviving interest in his wonderful art once more. In 1978, the painting was restored. The Swiss-born painter Angelica Kauffmann is just one artist to contribute to this genre. We regularly use Art.com's store ourselves for several of our favourite Italian painters and so are more than happy to recommend them to you here. It has been suggested that Flora's expression is that of contentedness, indicating a happy and fertile marriage. Primavera has been reproduced, copied and admired the world over. The Graces are beautifully drawn but with some distinct differences which has sparked much debate between experts. If this painting was a wedding gift, the left hand side of the painting may seem inappropriate but in terms of the Neoplatonist ideas that the Medici were interested in, the painting appears to show how carnal love on the left can transform into civilised love and finally into a Divine Love. Botticelli would have used soft brushes and made his brushstrokes almost invisible to create some of these effects. There are also other Botticelli paintings here. The subject was first described as Primavera by the art historian Giorgio Vasari who saw it at Villa Castello, just outside Florence, by 1550. It has been the inspiration for numerous works of art since. 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