Italian Renaissance Art

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Primavera by Botticelli

Primavera, meaning Spring, was painted by Sandro Botticelli in 1480. 

Botticelli and the Medici Family
Sandro Botticelli was born in 1445 in Florence Italy as Alessandro Filipepi and apprenticed for an artist already supported by the wealthy Medici Family. By the time Botticelli was a teen, he had his own studio in the Medici Palace and had befriended the young Medici heir, Lorenzo Medici (PBS). Lorenzo de' Medici's biography points to the The Medici family as being a wealthy political powerhouse in Florence thriving on their banking and commerce business and giving them the ability to become one of the great art patrons of their time. Botticelli was not only close in proximity to the Medici family, he was close in age to Lorenzo and therefore able to create a lifelong bond with who would become Lorenzo the Magnificent, defacto ruler of Florence. I believe the Medici's were a heavy influence on his Botticelli's art.

Impression
This painting was commissioned to be a wedding gift to Lorenzo's cousin, Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici. Botticelli is leading us into the Renaissance by depicting Roman mythology in an Eden of nature, using linear perspective, making the subjects of the painting more individualistic and natural.  Harris and Zucker explain the painting as Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty, in the center of the painting. As this is a wedding gift, I believe Venus was aptly chosen. Above Venus, her son, Cupid, is aiming his arrow at one of the Three Graces who appear graceful and beautiful. Cupid can represent and heir for the newly wed couple, and also is known for firing arrows of love which coordinates with the theme of the a marriage gift. Farthest on Venus's right, is Mercury. Encyclopedia Britannica describe Mercury as the "god of shopkeepers and merchants, travelers and transporters of goods, and thieves and tricksters." and he can also be interpreted as the Greek God Hermes, messenger to the gods. The Medici's were unofficial rulers of Florence that came from the merchant class, they were like gods of the shopkeepers and merchants. Mercury's presence can be seen as an tribute to the Medici family and also as a messenger from the gods, an announcement that spring has come. On Venus' far left, we have Zephyr who is the god of wind abducting a nymph named Chloris. After her abduction she returns as the final figure on Venus' direct left side in the form of Flora, the goddess of spring (Harris and Zuker). This correlates to overall theme of the painting which is Spring or Rebirth. Using the timeline from Lorenzo's Era, this painting was commissioned shortly after the Pazzi conspiracy which saw Lorenzo's brother assassinated and began a war with the Pope and Naples. This war was ended a year and a half later when Lorenzo traveled to Naples and successfully negotiated peace with the king of Naples (Landon). This piece of work represents the Medici family in their rebirth as they returned to Florence. They had gone through a period of darkness and challenges and emerged reborn, bringing with them hope, new beginnings, and new life. As this was a wedding gift to a member of the Medici family, I think it represents the strength of the Medici family and the new beginnings of a newly wed couple.

Art Elements
Botticelli utilizes comforting curved lines in all the figures except for Chloris and Zephyr whose lines appear rigid in comparison. Zephyr is abducting his bride and is represented in a cool tone in contrast to the warm natural tones of the other subjects. It emits a feeling of coldness and darkness. Perhaps another ode to the dark times the Medici's endured but much like Chloris, returned reborn into symbols of hope and new beginnings.


Works Cited

Biography.com Editors. “Lorenzo de’ Medici Biography.” Biography.Com, 2 Sept. 2020, www.biography.com/political-figures/lorenzo-de-medici.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Mercury". Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Jul. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mercury-Roman-god. Accessed 16 June 2023.

Harris, Dr. Beth, and Dr. Steven Zucker. “Sandro Botticelli, La Primavera (Spring).” Smarthistory, 28 Nov. 2015, smarthistory.org/sandro-botticelli-la-primavera-spring/.

Landon, William. “How Lorenzo the Magnificent Managed to End Florence’s War with Naples.” Wondrium Daily, 19 Apr. 2022, www.wondriumdaily.com/how-lorenzo-the-magnificent-managed-to-end-florences-war-with-naples/#:~:text=Lorenzo’s%20Brave%20Bet&text=When%20he%20arrived%20at%20that,to%20the%20Florentine%2DNeapolitan%20war.

“Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance . Renaissance . Botticelli.” PBS, www.pbs.org/empires/medici/renaissance/botticelli.html. Accessed 16 June 2023.

Parenti, Daniela. “Spring by Botticelli: Artworks: Uffizi Galleries.” By Botticelli | Artworks | Uffizi Galleries, www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/botticelli-spring. Accessed 16 June 2023.

“Timeline Lorenzo’s Era: 1452-1498.” PBS, www.pbs.org/empires/medici/timeline/nonflash/lorenzo.html. Accessed 17 June 2023.

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