At the height of his fame, the Florentine painter and draughtsman Sandro Botticelli (born c1445 - died 1510) was one of the most esteemed artists in Italy. His graceful pictures of the Madonna and Child, his altarpieces and his life-size mythological paintings, such as "Venus and Mars" were immensely popular in his lifetime.
The period from 1478-90 saw Botticelli at his most creative. This was the period during which he produced his famous mythological works, such as 'The Birth of Venus' (in the Uffizi, Florence) and "Venus and Mars". In these he successfully combined a decorative use of line (possibly owing much to his early training as a goldsmith) with elements of the classical tradition, seen in the harmony of his composition and the supple contours of his figures.
During the last 15 years of his life, Botticelli's work appeared to undergo a crisis of style and expression.
The 1490s was a turbulent decade - the Medici had been expelled from Florence and Italy's peace disrupted by invasion and plagues. Botticelli rejected the ornamental charm of his earlier works in favour of a more simplistic approach that seemed crude and heavy-handed by contrast. These later paintings, with their deep moral and religious overtones, also suffered a comparison with the sophisticated aesthetic of artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael. After his death, his name all but disappeared until the late 19th century, when a developing appreciation for Florentine arts and culture brought about a renewed interest in his work.
For a more in-depth biography see part 1, and for earlier works, see parts I & 2 also.
This is part 3 of a 6-part series on the works of Sandro Botticelli:
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| c1482 Primavera tempera on panel 203 x 314 cm Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1482 Primavera detail tempera on panel 203 x 314 cm Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1482 Primavera detail tempera on panel 203 x 314 cm Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1483 Madonna of the Book tempera on panel 58 x 39.5 cm Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan |
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| c1483 Madonna of the Magnificat tempera on panel 118 cm diameter Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1483 Madonna of the Magnificat detail tempera on panel 118 cm diameter Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1483 Madonna of the Magnificat detail tempera on panel 118 cm diameter Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1483 Pallas and the Centaur tempera on canvas 207 x 148 cm Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1483 Portrait of a Young Man tempera on panel 37.5 x 28.2 cm The National Gallery, London |
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| c1483 The Story of Nastagio degli Onesti (first episode) tempera on panel 83 x 138 cm Museo del Prado, Madrid |
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| c1483 The Story of Nastagio degli Onesti (second episode) tempera on panel 83 x 138 cm Museo del Prado, Madrid |
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| c1483 The Story of Nastagio degli Onesti (third episode) tempera on panel 83 x 142 cm Museo del Prado, Madrid |
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| c1483 The Story of Nastagio degli Onesti (fourth episode) tempera on panel 83 x 142 cm Museo del Prado, Madrid |
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| 1484-85 The Bardi Altarpiece / Madonna and Child with both Saints John tempera on poplar wood panel 185 x 189 cm Gemäldegalerie, Berlin |
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| c1484-86 The Birth of Venus tempera on canvas 172.5 x 278.9 cm Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1484-86 The Birth of Venus detail tempera on canvas 172.5 x 278.9 cm Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1484-86 The Birth of Venus detail tempera on canvas 172.5 x 278.9 cm Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1484-86 The Birth of Venus detail tempera on canvas 172.5 x 278.9 cm Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| c1484 A Young Man Being introduced to the Seven Liberal Arts fresco transferred to canvas 238 x 284 cm Louvre, Paris |
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| Saint Mary Magdelene listening to Christ Preach tempera on wood panel 20 x 43.8 cm Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA |
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| The Feast in the House of Simon tempera on panel 19.8 x 43.7 cm Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA |
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| Noli Me Tangere tempera on wood panel 19.7 x 44 cm Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA |
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| The Last Moments of Saint Mary Magdelene tempera on panel 18.3 x 43.8 cm Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA |
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| c1484 Venus and the Three Graces presenting Gifts to a Young Woman fresco transferred to canvas 211 x 284 cm Louvre Museum, Paris |
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| 1485 Madonna and Child with both Saints John medium? on poplar wood panel 185 x 180 cm Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin |
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| 1485-89 St. John the Baptist by Workshop of Botticelli tempera on wood panel 63.4 x 39.4 cm The Walters Art Museum, Maryland |
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| c1485-92 The Annunciation tempera and gold on wood 19.1 x 31.4 cm Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| 1485-95 Virgin and Child with Two Angels tempera on panel 34.4 diameter (painted surface) Art Institute of Chicago, IL |
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| 1485-1500 Madonna adoring the Child with Five Angels tempera and oil on panel 132.7 diameter Baltimore Museum of Art, MD |
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| c1485 Portrait of a Young Woman tempera on panel 61 x 40 cm Pitti Palace, Florence |
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| c1485 The Annunciation tempera and gold on wood panel The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| c1485 The Annunciation detail tempera and gold on wood panel The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| c1485 The Annunciation detail tempera and gold on wood panel The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| c1485 The Virgin adoring the Sleeping Christ Child tempera and gold on canvas 122 x 80.3 cm National Galleries Scotland, UK |
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| c1485 Venus and Mars tempera on panel 69 x 173 cm The National Gallery, London |
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| c1485 Venus and Mars detail tempera on panel 69 x 173 cm The National Gallery, London |
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| c1485 Venus and Mars detail tempera on panel 69 x 173 cm The National Gallery, London |
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| c1485 Virgin and Child with Six Angels and the Baptist tempera on panel 170 cm diameter Galleria Borghese, Rome |
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| 1487 Madonna of the Pomegranate tempera on panel 143.5 cm diameter Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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| 1487 Madonna of the Pomegranate detail tempera on panel 143.5 cm diameter Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
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