Italian Early Renaissance Painter, 1445-1510
Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli or Il Botticello ("The Little Barrel"; March 1, 1445 ?C May 17, 1510) was an Italian painter of the Florentine school during the Early Renaissance (Quattrocento). Less than a hundred years later, this movement, under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, was characterized by Giorgio Vasari as a "golden age", a thought, suitably enough, he expressed at the head of his Vita of Botticelli. His posthumous reputation suffered until the late 19th century; since then his work has been seen to represent the linear grace of Early Renaissance painting, and The Birth of Venus and Primavera rank now among the most familiar masterpieces of Florentine art.
Details of Botticelli's life are sparse, but we know that he became an apprentice when he was about fourteen years old, which would indicate that he received a fuller education than did other Renaissance artists. Vasari reported that he was initially trained as a goldsmith by his brother Antonio. Probably by 1462 he was apprenticed to Fra Filippo Lippi; many of his early works have been attributed to the elder master, and attributions continue to be uncertain. Influenced also by the monumentality of Masaccio's painting, it was from Lippi that Botticelli learned a more intimate and detailed manner. As recently discovered, during this time, Botticelli could have traveled to Hungary, participating in the creation of a fresco in Esztergom, ordered in the workshop of Fra Filippo Lippi by Vitez J??nos, then archbishop of Hungary.
By 1470 Botticelli had his own workshop. Even at this early date his work was characterized by a conception of the figure as if seen in low relief, drawn with clear contours, and minimizing strong contrasts of light and shadow which would indicate fully modeled forms.
Canto XXX 1490s Drawing on parchment, 320 x 470 mm Staatliche Museen, Berlin In the Empyrean, the upper heaven, Dante and Beatrice are carried upwards in a river of light, from which fly sparkles which Botticelli depicts as little putti. They disappear in the meadows of flowers along the banks on either side. The one on the right had not been retraced with ink and was a preliminary drawing carried out in silver point. Artist: BOTTICELLI, Sandro Painting Title: Paradise, Canto XXX , 1451-1500 Painting Style: Italian , graphics Type: other
Canto XXX 1490s Drawing on parchment, 320 x 470 mm Staatliche Museen, Berlin In the Empyrean, the upper heaven, Dante and Beatrice are carried upwards in a river of light, from which fly sparkles which Botticelli depicts as little putti. They disappear in the meadows of flowers along the banks on either side. The one on the right had not been retraced with ink and was a preliminary drawing carried out in silver point. Artist: BOTTICELLI, Sandro Painting Title: Paradise, Canto XXX , 1451-1500 Painting Style: Italian , graphics Type: other
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Portrait of a Lady
Portrait of a Lady
Painting ID:: 62941
1470-75 Tempera on panel, 65,7 x 41 cm Victoria and Albert Museum, London If the inscription on the window jamb, possibly dating from the 16th century, is to be believed, this is a portrait of Smeralda Brandini, who was a member of a respected Florentine family. A sign of her rank and respectable status is the handkerchief which she is holding in the hand placed across her body. Artist: BOTTICELLI, Sandro Painting Title: Portrait of a Lady , 1451-1500 Painting Style: Italian , , portrait
1470-75 Tempera on panel, 65,7 x 41 cm Victoria and Albert Museum, London If the inscription on the window jamb, possibly dating from the 16th century, is to be believed, this is a portrait of Smeralda Brandini, who was a member of a respected Florentine family. A sign of her rank and respectable status is the handkerchief which she is holding in the hand placed across her body. Artist: BOTTICELLI, Sandro Painting Title: Portrait of a Lady , 1451-1500 Painting Style: Italian , , portrait
1491-93 Tempera on panel Courtauld Institute Galleries, London The archangel Raphael is leading the young Tobias by the hand. He is holding a small box, and Tobias is carrying a fish in a noose. The fish is Tobias' attribute. He was advised by the angel to use its gallbladder to restore his blind father's sight; the miraculous gallbladder was kept in the box. Artist: BOTTICELLI, Sandro Painting Title: Holy Trinity (detail) , 1451-1500 Painting Style: Italian , , religious
1491-93 Tempera on panel Courtauld Institute Galleries, London The archangel Raphael is leading the young Tobias by the hand. He is holding a small box, and Tobias is carrying a fish in a noose. The fish is Tobias' attribute. He was advised by the angel to use its gallbladder to restore his blind father's sight; the miraculous gallbladder was kept in the box. Artist: BOTTICELLI, Sandro Painting Title: Holy Trinity (detail) , 1451-1500 Painting Style: Italian , , religious
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Portrait of a Young Woman
Portrait of a Young Woman
Painting ID:: 62943
1475 Tempera on panel, 61 x 40 cm Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence There are several assumptions concerning the identity of the young woman (Simonetta Vespucci, Clarice Orsini, Fioretta Gorini etc.). The picture was partly repainted. The sleeve of the robe covers the left hand in a very unnatural way. The lock of hair coming loose from her bun gives a more spontaneous feeling to this severe profile portrait. The half length figure is slightly to the left of the centre of the picture. Behind her is a dark window frame and it contrasts with the gentle flow other contours. The attribution of the work to Botticelli is disputed. Artist: BOTTICELLI, Sandro Painting Title: Portrait of a Young Woman , 1451-1500 Painting Style: Italian , , portrait
1475 Tempera on panel, 61 x 40 cm Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence There are several assumptions concerning the identity of the young woman (Simonetta Vespucci, Clarice Orsini, Fioretta Gorini etc.). The picture was partly repainted. The sleeve of the robe covers the left hand in a very unnatural way. The lock of hair coming loose from her bun gives a more spontaneous feeling to this severe profile portrait. The half length figure is slightly to the left of the centre of the picture. Behind her is a dark window frame and it contrasts with the gentle flow other contours. The attribution of the work to Botticelli is disputed. Artist: BOTTICELLI, Sandro Painting Title: Portrait of a Young Woman , 1451-1500 Painting Style: Italian , , portrait
Italian Early Renaissance Painter, 1445-1510
Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli or Il Botticello ("The Little Barrel"; March 1, 1445 ?C May 17, 1510) was an Italian painter of the Florentine school during the Early Renaissance (Quattrocento). Less than a hundred years later, this movement, under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, was characterized by Giorgio Vasari as a "golden age", a thought, suitably enough, he expressed at the head of his Vita of Botticelli. His posthumous reputation suffered until the late 19th century; since then his work has been seen to represent the linear grace of Early Renaissance painting, and The Birth of Venus and Primavera rank now among the most familiar masterpieces of Florentine art.
Details of Botticelli's life are sparse, but we know that he became an apprentice when he was about fourteen years old, which would indicate that he received a fuller education than did other Renaissance artists. Vasari reported that he was initially trained as a goldsmith by his brother Antonio. Probably by 1462 he was apprenticed to Fra Filippo Lippi; many of his early works have been attributed to the elder master, and attributions continue to be uncertain. Influenced also by the monumentality of Masaccio's painting, it was from Lippi that Botticelli learned a more intimate and detailed manner. As recently discovered, during this time, Botticelli could have traveled to Hungary, participating in the creation of a fresco in Esztergom, ordered in the workshop of Fra Filippo Lippi by Vitez J??nos, then archbishop of Hungary.
By 1470 Botticelli had his own workshop. Even at this early date his work was characterized by a conception of the figure as if seen in low relief, drawn with clear contours, and minimizing strong contrasts of light and shadow which would indicate fully modeled forms.