As you know, the Age of the Early Renaissance has left us a huge cultural heritage. Among the bright and very talented representatives of this period, one can distinguish an Italian artist, a representative of the Florentine school of painting - Sandro Botticelli. A painter was born in a family not related to brush and paints. His father Mariano di Giovanni Filipepi was a tanner, and Smerald's mother raised children and kept a home.
At first, the young Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, because that was the true name of the future artist, decided to become a jeweler, but after a couple of years he abandoned this lesson and began to study painting with the best master of this business, Fra Filippo Lippi. The student he was very hardworking and diligent, and the result was not long in coming. Each of his paintings is a real masterpiece of art, and biblical themes give them even more mystical charm and real meaning. Today we will talk and remember the most beautiful and famous paintings by Sandro Botticelli.
1
The Birth of Venus, 1486
The plot of the picture returns us to Greek myths and legends. The artist reproduced on the canvas the birth of the goddess of beauty, femininity and perfection - Venus, or Aphrodite, born of sea foam. She swims ashore in a sea shell, and the god of the west wind Zephyr drives her, he is in the arms of his wife Chlorida, daughter of King Orchomen. On the shore, the majestic and naked Venus is met by one of the three sisters - the graceful goddess of attractiveness and charm, the gentle Grace. We are just sure that everyone saw this relic of painting. Even if you do not know the author of this work and its name, the plot of the picture will forever remain in our memory. Currently, the masterpiece is in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
2
"Spring", 1482
The name of the picture already speaks of its plot. The canvas depicts a luxurious clearing in the orange garden, where spring comes into its own, flowers bloom here, which the artist painted more than five hundred pieces of different types, shapes and colors. The goddess of flowers Flora generously strews the earth with roses and daffodils, the north wind Zephyr with its power bends tree branches to the bottom. In the center of the picture is Venus herself - the goddess of joy and love, and above her, with her eyes closed, the baby Cupid hovers, pointing his arrow of love at one of the dancing Graces. A very beautiful, delicate picture is filled with light, but not everyone can catch its true meaning. This masterpiece is on display at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
3
Venus and Mars, 1483
Another of the most popular paintings of ancient character and iconographic arrangement of figures on the canvas. Botticelli painted this painting commissioned by the wealthy Vespucci family. The picture has a hidden meaning. Under the images of the Greek gods Venus and Mars, Giuliano Medici and Simonetta Vespucci and their ardent love are encrypted. The exhibition is decorated with cheerful angels who frolic among two lovers resting after a passionate meeting. This painting of the Italian artist can be seen in the exposition of the London National Gallery.
4
Madonna and Child, 1467
The talented Italian has a whole group of paintings called “Madonna and Child”, so it will not work to talk about any one picture. In the Renaissance, the theme of the birth of little Jesus was very popular, therefore, not one painter of that time portrayed the Madonna and her sacred child. The birth of a new life is the real plot of this picture and we can say that they are all alike, because they depict a blessed mother and her newborn child. The halo of holiness and purity that soars in the air when you look at these pictures penetrates the subconscious and fills the soul with warmth and goodness. Here it is the meaning of human life to give life and enjoy being.
5
Portrait of Giuliano Medici, 1475
As you know, Botticelli was a member of this noble family and often painted for her paintings on various subjects and partly portraits of all members of her family. One of such popular portraits is the portrait of Giuliano Medici, painted in 1475. Sandro painted more than one copy of this portrait because he was constantly dissatisfied with his work. As we see, the artist used a three-quarter angle. If in the first portrait Botticelli depicted the interior of the room in the background, then in the last copy he decided to make a plain background, which was not characteristic of portraiture of that time. Maybe the brush master was looking far ahead .... All variations of portraits are stored in different museums around the world. Namely, in the National Gallery of Washington, the Carrara Academy in the city of Bergamo, and the third copy is in Berlin at the Saatlich Museum.
6
The Holy Trinity, 1493
The sad picture of the crucifixion of our heavenly father was painted in the period from 1491 to 1493, because in the era of the worship of the church, the master simply could not bypass this event and not perpetuate it on the canvas. He was not the first and not the last painter to portray this topic, but each artist sees and presents everything in his own way, therefore the paintings came out all different, although the same thing is depicted on them. "The Holy Trinity" is considered the most successful in all religious painting by Sandro Botticelli.
7
Allegory of Strength, 1470
This painting was painted by a brush master in 1470, where he portrayed a strong, but somewhat worried, tired from cruelty and injustice woman in armor on the throne and with a sword in her hand. She identifies power, independence and power, and some art historians are simply convinced that the artist portrayed the Greek goddess of war as the sultry and brave Artemis. Now the canvas is in the Uffizi Gallery, in Florence.
8
Adoration of the Magi, 1475
This Christian theme was so popular that Botticelli was ordered to write seven different copies of this religious event. The artist painted his version of the painting in 1475, and it is now stored in the Uffizi Gallery. In the image of the Magi, the Italian painter depicted three members of the Medici family: the father of Cosimo and his sons - Cosimo the Younger and Pierrot. Cosimo’s grandson Lorenzo Medici and his brother Giuliano are also present there. The plot of the picture is as follows: the magi came to bow and show their reverence and love to the Madonna and her sacred child. Giorgio Vasari put it this way in his Biographies: “It is impossible to describe all the beauty Sandro put into the image of heads turned in a wide variety of positions - either in the face, now in profile, then in half-turn, then finally bowed, or else somehow differently. It is also impossible to describe all the diversity in facial expressions of young men and the elderly with all the deviations that can be used to judge the perfection of his skill. ”
9
Judith's Return to Vetulia, 1478
Botticelli has portrayed this biblical character more than once, since the young Judith personifies all the Christian, aesthetic and moral canons of the Renaissance. She is an example of fidelity, honor and self-sacrifice for the sake of others. The plot is that the widow of Judith, when the warriors of King Holofernes approach their city, decides to save the city by offering himself to the lascivious Assyrian. The beautiful Jewess immediately liked Holofernes, and at night, waiting for him to fall asleep, Judith chopped off the Assyrian’s head and returned to her hometown, passing the sleeping guards. This masterpiece can be seen in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
10
"Portrait of a Young Woman", 1480
Well Italian portraits of young women were successful. We will now consider one of these portraits. Sandro painted this picture in the years 1476-1480, and the model was the beautiful Simonetta Vespucci herself, the beloved woman Giuliano Medici and the first beauty of the Renaissance. Botticelli returns to a strict profile with a graceful silhouette and a rigid frame, niche or window. The portrait is poetically idealized, where everything individual is softened. You can see this masterpiece in the art gallery of the city of Berlin - one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
11
Mystical Christmas, 1500
The plot of this picture is known to all. Could not get around her and our brilliant Italian. What can be more religious and sacred than the birth of a heavenly son? Botticelli very beautifully portrayed this sacrament on his canvas, because when you look at this picture, you get the feeling that you are present there - so it looks believable. It was written at the end of 1500 and carries a certain meaning and a certain appeal for peace and tranquility, since there were riots in Italy at that time. At the top of the hut's roof are three angels dressed in white, red, and green robes. These colors represent Grace, Truth and Justice, thereby focusing on peace and quiet. This picture was one of the last paintings by Botticelli, and this miracle of art is in the National Gallery of London.
12
Pallas and the Centaur, 1483
The canvas depicts a charming maiden crowned with a wreath and armed with a heavy halberd, which with a strong hand holds the centaur by his thick hair, showing with all his appearance all his power and superiority over him. A beautiful wreath made of olive branches encircles her breasts and arms, and a delicate and slightly transparent outfit makes her silhouette even more feminine and erotic. Sandro painted this picture as a gift for the marriage of Lorenzo di Pierfranchesko de Medici with Semiramis, and Lorenzo Medici himself ordered this gift. All this happened in 1483, in the same year, and this masterpiece was created, which is currently located in the Uffizi Gallery.
13
Portrait of Esmeralda Brandini, 1475
Another beautiful portrait of the Renaissance lady, painted by the painter in 1475. Here we see that the woman is no longer depicted in profile, but in full view. And this is a kind of experiment of the artist, and we can say that he was a success. In the future, this technique will be picked up by other artists. This view gives the image a sense of movement. This portrait of Botticelli is kept in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The model was the wife of Donato Brandini, the mother of the noble Florentine jeweler Michelangelo de Viviano de Brandini from Gaiuole. The background of the picture remained familiar to the Renaissance and this, as we see, is a doorway.
Sandro Botticelli was truly the most gifted self-taught artist of the Early Renaissance. A huge number of paintings came out from under his brush. But unfortunately, they are all of the same type and similar, so we tried to choose for you the most famous and beautiful creations of the artist of the Tuscan school of painting. We hope that you enjoyed our exhibition of paintings, and if we missed something, write in the comments.