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Self-portrait, Botticelli, photo by The Yorck Project (2002) .

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Sandro Botticelli

Sandro Botticelli, whose original name is believed to be Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, was allegedly born in 1445 in Florence, Italy and died on the 17^th of May 1510. He is believed to be one of the greatest painters of the Florentine Renaissance. The Birth of Venus and Primavera are often said to epitomize for modern viewers the spirit of the Renaissance.

Botticelli was often commissioned by rich patrons on occasion of marriages. Such traditions were regarded as ones with great importance to the people’s cultures and beliefs. He was commissioned to create works of art for such ceremonies. The art was often mounted in the chambers for viewing of guests.

1.Lippi’s painterly style being fundamental to Botticelli work

It can be said that Botticelli`s work had great inspirations from the earlier work of Lippi`s work. His artwork and style is regarded as a great influence to Botticelli`s work and his pupils work.  It is believed that Lippi taught Botticelli his techniques of panel paining and fresco and gave him an assured control of linear perspective. Also Botticelli acquired a stylistic approach to his work after he was taught.

2.Botticelli studies the sculpture style of Antonio Pollaiuolo and Andrea del Verrocchio

After Lippi left Florence, who was regarded a great influence for Botticelli`s work, he went ahead to study the work of Antonio Pollaiuolo and Andrea del Verrocchio in sculpture. Antonio Pollaiuolo and Andrea Del Verrocchio were regarded as the leading Florentine painters of the 1460s.Under their great influence Botticelli was privileged enough to gain skills in sculpture from the best.

He produced figures of sculptural roundness and strength. He was also privileged enough to replace Lippi`s delicate approach with robust and vigorous naturalism. In just ten years into such sculptural work Botticelli was now a well-established and independent master of his own work.

3.Consummate mastery of Botticelli’s work

Profile portrait of a young woman, photo by The Yorck Project (2002).

About a few years in his work Botticelli abandoned his tentative approach in his work to a more consummate mastery.  This transition in his art career was between the year 1478 and 1481. In this period of his career he was able to integrate figure and setting into harmonious compositions and to draw the human form with a compelling vitality.

4.Botticelli’s work in the Florentine tondi format

Sandro Botticelli – Fortitude, photo by Sandro Botticelli .

Florentine tondi format was one which was often large, richly framed paintings. Botticelli often adopted this format is some of his paintings. The Adoration of the Kings  which was painted by him for Antonio Pucci is an example of such technique in his paintings.

Unlike Tondi, Botticelli suppressed all superfluity of detail in them and became adept at harmonizing his figures with the circular form.  He completely mustered Tondis `techniques and is evident in his paintings; The Madonna of the Magnificat and The Madonna of the Pomegranate.

5.Botticelli as the earliest European Artist to paint secular historic subjects

In European states it is believed that Botticelli is one of the earlies artist who too up the painting of secular subjects. However sadly most of his work has been lost over the years. It is believed that from the 40 years’ worth of work only eight examples by his survive his to this date. His work is now regarded as portrait that is now a well-established genre in art. 

One of the few remaining art is of a young man holding a medal of Cosimo de’ Medici (c. 1474). This is regarded as one of great significance and value as Botticelli copied the Flemish painter Hans Memling’s recently invented device of setting the figure before a landscape seen from a high vantage point.

6.Botticelli`s skills landing him the opportunity to paint the Medici family

It is believed that Botticelli work and expertise in portraiture that landed him the privilege to paint the Medici Family. He was tasked to particularly paint Lorenzo de’ Medici, his brother Giuliano, father Piero and his grandfather Cosimo. The portrait of the four appears as the three Magi and an attendant figure in the Adoration of the Magi from Santa Maria Novella.

His work in portraiture  had a brought his popularity as he was later in the year 1475 requested to paint for Giuliano a banner of Pallas trampling on the flames of love and Cupid bound to an olive tree. This work is key to Botticelli’s use of Classical mythology t illustrate the sentiment medieval courtly love.

7.Botticelli`s skill in Mythological paintings

mythological painting, photo by Google Arts & Culture.

Over the years, Botticelli had now gained popularity in European states in his profound art work. He was now highly commissioned to paint for rich patrons in their weddings. It was now a tradition in such states that a painting would be mounted in a chambers prepared for the newly wedded couple for viewing.

During such ceremonies, the theme of such paintings was either, romantic, exalting love and lovers, or exemplary, depicting heroines of virtuous fame. It is believed that Botticelli was commissioned by Lorenzo de’Medici for the marriage of Antonio.

8.Sandro Botticelli secular paintings      

The Birth of Venus, photo by Google Art Project .

Botticelli is believed to be among the earliest and one of the prominent artists in secular art in European states. Among a few of the greatest examples of this novel fashion in secular painting are four of Botticelli’s most famous works: Primavera (c. 1477–82), Pallas and the Centaur (c. 1485), Venus and Mars (c. 1485), and The Birth of Venus (c. 1485).

The Primavera and The Birth of Venus were painted for the home of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici. Over the years several scholars have taken up the task to make interpretation of his paintings. His art in these four paintings were used to illustrate various aspects of love.   

9.Botticelli reviving the glories of Classic antiquity

Renaissance humanist Leon Battista Alberti’s art theories greatly influenced Botticelli`s work. It is now evident in his meticulous use of linear perspective.  This work illustrates Botticelli`s interest in reviving the classical antiquity through his work; The Calumny of Apelles (c. 1495). This work has received immense publicity as it was recommended by Alberti, who took it from a description of a work by the ancient Greek painter Apelles.

Botticelli also drew inspiration from Classical art more directly. While in Rome in 1481–82, for example, he reproduced that city’s Arch of Constantine in one of his Sistine frescoes. Three of the figures in Primavera are taken from a Classical statue of the Three Graces, while the figure of Venus in The Birth of Venus derives from an ancient statue of Venus Pudica.

10.Botticelli’s work for the marriage of Lorenzo Tornabuoni and Giovanna degli Albizzi

The story of Nastagio degli Onesti, photo by The Yorck Project (2002).

In the year 1486, after Botticelli was well known for various commissions for his work in wedding ceremonies he was tasked to make art for the marriage ceremony of Lorenzo Tornabuoni and Giovanna degli Albizzi in the Villa Lemmi. During this ceremony, real personages mingle with mythological figures: Venus, attended by her Graces, gives flowers to Giovanna degli Albizzi and Lorenzo Tornabuoni, who is called to a mercantile life, is brought before Prudentia and the Liberal Arts.

Indeed Sandro Botticelli is regarded as one of the prominent painters of his time. It is however sad that only a few of his paintings survive him after 40 years’ worth of work. He acquired a certain graceful fancifulness in costuming, a linear sense of form, and a partiality to certain paler hues. This is still visible in his work over time in his career. Even after Lippi had left, he worked to improve the soft, frail figural style he had learnt over the years from Lippi teachings.