All Botticelli paintings with titles. Sandro Botticelli: biography and best works

Sandro Botticelli (Italian: Sandro Botticelli, real name Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi (Italian: Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi; March 1, 1445 - May 17, 1510) - a great Italian painter of the Renaissance, a representative of the Florentine school of painting.

Botticelli was born into the family of tanner Mariano di Giovanni Filipepi and his wife Smeralda in the Santa Maria Novella quarter of Florence. The nickname “Botticelli” (barrel) came to him from his older brother Giovanni, who was a fat man.

Botticelli did not come to painting right away: at first he was an apprentice to the goldsmith Antonio for two years (there is a version that the young man received his surname from him). In 1462 he began to study painting with Fra Filippo Lippi, in whose studio he stayed for five years. In connection with Lippi's departure to Spoleto, he moved to the workshop of Andrea Verrocchio.

Botticelli's first independent works - several images of Madonnas - in their manner of execution demonstrate closeness to the works of Lippi and Masaccio, the most famous are: “Madonna and Child, Two Angels and Young John the Baptist” (1465-1470), “Madonna and Child and Two Angels” ( 1468-1470), “Madonna in the Rose Garden” (circa 1470), “Madonna of the Eucharist” (circa 1470).

From 1470 he had his own workshop near the Church of All Saints. The painting "Allegory of Force" (Fortitude), painted in 1470, marks the acquisition of Botticelli's own style. In 1470-1472 he wrote a diptych about the story of Judith: “The Return of Judith” and “The Finding of the Body of Holofernes.”

In 1472, the name Botticelli was first mentioned in the Red Book of the Company of St. Luke. It also states that his student is Filippino Lippi.

At the festival in honor of the saint on January 20, 1474, the painting “Saint Sebastian” was placed with great solemnity on one of the pillars in the Florentine church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which explains its elongated format.

Around 1475, the painter painted the famous painting “The Adoration of the Magi” for the wealthy townsman Gaspare del Lama, in which, in addition to representatives of the Medici family, he also depicted himself. Vasari wrote: “Truly this work is the greatest miracle, and it is brought to such perfection in color, design and composition that every artist is amazed by it to this day.”

At this time, Botticelli became famous as a portrait painter. The most significant are the “Portrait of an Unknown Man with a Medal by Cosimo Medici” (1474-1475), as well as portraits of Giuliano Medici and Florentine ladies.

In 1476, Simonetta Vespucci dies, according to a number of researchers, the secret love and model of a number of paintings by Botticelli, who never married.

Botticelli's quickly spreading fame went beyond the borders of Florence. Since the late 1470s, the artist has received numerous orders. “And then he won for himself... in Florence and beyond its borders such fame that Pope Sixtus IV, who built a chapel in his Roman palace and wanted to paint it, ordered him to be put in charge of the work.”

In 1481, Pope Sixtus IV summoned Botticelli to Rome. Together with Ghirlandaio, Rosselli and Perugino, Botticelli decorated the walls of the Papal Chapel in the Vatican with frescoes, which is known as The Sistine Chapel. After Michelangelo painted the ceiling and altar wall under Julius II in 1508-1512, it will gain worldwide fame.

Botticelli created three frescoes for the chapel: “The Punishment of Korah, Daphne and Abiron”, “The Temptation of Christ” and “The Calling of Moses”, as well as 11 papal portraits.

Botticelli attended the Platonic Academy of Lorenzo the Magnificent, where he met Ficino, Pico and Poliziano, thereby falling under the influence of Neoplatonism, which was reflected in his paintings of secular themes.

Botticelli's most famous and most mysterious work is “Spring” (Primavera) (1482).
The painting together with “Pallas and the Centaur” (1482-1483) by Botticelli and “Madonna and Child” unknown author was intended to decorate the Florentine palace of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco, a representative of the Medici family.
The painter was inspired to create the painting, in particular, by a fragment from Lucretius’ poem “On the Nature of Things”:

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“His purely personal art reflected the face of the century. In it, as if in focus, everything that preceded that moment of culture and everything that then constituted the “present” were combined (A. Benois).

The artist's real name is Alessandro Mariano Di Vanni Di Amedeo Filipepi. He was born into a simple family - his father was a leather tanner, but he was raised by his older brother Antonio, who was a wonderful jeweler. Because of his plumpness, he was nicknamed “Botticello” (barrel), a nickname that passed on to Sandro. But there is an opinion that Botticelli received this nickname for the features of his figure. However, this has nothing to do with his work.
Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)- famous Italian artist Early Renaissance, representative of the Florentine school. The first thing that catches your eye when looking at Botticelli’s paintings is their spirituality and subtle coloring. It is believed that Botticelli created about 50 paintings.
Sandro studied like all the children of his time, and then became an apprentice in the jewelry workshop of his brother Antonio. But he did not stay there for long and around 1464 he became an apprentice to Filippo Lippi, one of the famous artists of that time.

Influence of Filippo Lippi

The work of Filippo Lippi had a very great influence on Botticelli, and a careful look at the paintings of these artists, this influence is obvious. For example, a three-quarter turn of the face, a decorative pattern of draperies and hands, a penchant for detail, and the lyricism of the created images. But the main thing is the color. It seems to glow softly. Here, for comparison, are paintings by F. Lippi and S. Botticelli.

F. Lippi. Altar of the Novitiate. Uffizi (Florence)

S. Botticelli “Madonna and Child and Two Angels” (1465-1470)
Interesting fact: first Botticelli was a student of Lippi, and then Lippi’s son became a student of Botticelli.
The artists collaborated until 1467, and then their paths diverged: Filippo went to Spoleto, Botticelli remained in Florence and opened his workshop there in 1470.

Works on religious and mythological themes (early works)

Botticelli was close to the court Medici and humanist circles in Florence. And this had great importance, because The Medici, an oligarchic family, are known as philanthropists of the most outstanding artists and Renaissance architects. Representatives of this family from the XIII to the XVIII centuries. repeatedly became rulers of Florence.
From the works of S. Botticelli of the second half of the 15th century. I would like to highlight a few.

S. Botticelli. Diptych about the story of Judith

Judith- Old Testament character, a Jewish widow who saved her hometown from the invasion of the Assyrians. Judith is considered a symbol of the struggle of the Jews against their oppressors, a symbol of patriotism. When Assyrian troops besieged her hometown, she dressed up and went to the enemy camp, where she attracted the attention of the commander. When he fell asleep, she sharp sword she cut off his head, calmly walked past the sleeping warriors and returned to her saved hometown.
The diptych consists of 2 paintings: “The Return of Judith” and “The Finding of the Body of Holofernes.”
It is the scene of the return of Judith that Botticelli depicts in this painting.

S. Botticelli “The Return of Judith” (1472-1473)
Judith is accompanied by her maid. The girl holds a huge sword in her hand, her face is concentrated and sad, her feet are bare, she walks home with a decisive step - the maid can barely keep up with her briskly, holding with his hand the basket containing the head of King Holofernes.
Botticelli does not show Judith as a beautiful and seductive girl (as many artists portrayed her), he gives preference to the heroic moment in Judith’s life.

S. Botticelli “Saint Sebastian” (1474)

Sebastian (Sebastian)- Roman legionnaire, Christian saint, revered as a martyr. He was the chief of the Praetorian Guard under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian. He secretly professed Christianity. Two of his friends (brothers Mark and Markellinus) were condemned to death for their faith in Christ. Relatives and wives of the condemned begged them to renounce their faith and save their lives, and at one moment Mark and Marcellinus began to hesitate, but Sebastian came to support the condemned; his speech inspired the brothers and convinced them to remain faithful to Christianity. Those who heard Sebastian saw seven angels and a Young Man, who blessed Sebastian and said: “You will always be with Me.”
Sebastian was arrested and interrogated, after which Emperor Diocletian ordered him to be taken outside the city, tied and pierced with arrows. Thinking he was dead, the executioners left him lying alone, but none of his vital organs were damaged by the arrows, and his wounds, although deep, were not fatal. A widow named Irina came at night to bury him, but discovered that he was alive and took him out. Many Christians persuaded Sebastian to flee Rome, but he refused and appeared before the emperor with new proof of his faith. By order of Diocletian, he was stoned to death, and his body was thrown into the Great Cloaca. The saint appeared in a dream to the Christian woman Lukina and ordered her to take his body and bury him in the catacombs, and the woman fulfilled this command.
In Botticelli's painting, Sebastian is calm, he is not afraid of death; it seems that the arrows pierced into his body do not bother the hero at all. He carried his faith patiently and humbly through all his suffering.

S. Botticelli “Adoration of the Magi” (c. 1475). Uffizi Gallery (Florence)

In the image of the Magi, Botticelli depicted three members of the Medici family: Cosimo the Elder, kneeling before the Virgin Mary, and his sons Piero di Cosimo (the kneeling Magus in a red robe in the center of the picture) and Giovanni di Cosimo next to him. By the time the picture was painted, all three were already dead; Florence was ruled by Cosimo’s grandson, Lorenzo de’ Medici. He is also depicted in the painting along with his brother Giuliano.

The self-portrait of Botticelli himself is made in the image of a blond youth in a yellow robe at the right edge of the picture.
D. Vasari spoke about this painting in the following way: “It is impossible to describe all the beauty that Sandro put into the image of heads turned in a wide variety of positions - sometimes in front, sometimes in profile, sometimes half-turned, sometimes bowed, or something else.” Otherwise, it is also impossible to describe all the diversity in facial expressions of young men and old men with all the deviations by which one can judge the perfection of his skill, because even in the retinues of three kings he contributed so much distinctive features, that it is easy to understand who serves one and who serves the other. Truly this work is a greatest miracle, and it was brought to such perfection in color, design and composition that every artist is amazed by it to this day.”
At this time, Botticelli painted wonderful portraits.

S. Botticelli “Portrait of an unknown man with a medal of Cosimo de’ Medici the Elder” (c. 1475). Uffizi (Florence)
The picture is painted on a wooden board with tempera. A technique unique to the Renaissance was used: a round niche was made in the board into which a pastilla was inserted - a copy of a medal cast in honor of Cosimo de' Medici around 1465, molded from plaster and covered with gold paint.
The artist’s innovation lies in the fact that he depicted the young man almost from the front (previously they depicted the chest strictly in profile), with clearly drawn arms (this had not been done before) and with a landscape in the background (previously the background was neutral).

S. Botticelli “Portrait of a Young Woman” (1476-1480). Berlin gallery
Botticelli creates this portrait in accordance with the principles of F. Lippi, his teacher - he returns to a strict profile with an elegant silhouette and a rigid frame, niche or window. The portrait is idealized, close to a collective image.
Who was the model? It is difficult to give an answer. And the assumptions are as follows: Simonetta Vespucci (secret love and model of Botticelli and lover of Giuliano Medici); mother or wife of Lorenzo de' Medici (the Magnificent).

In Rome (1481-1482)

By this time Botticelli had become very famous artist not only in Florence, but also beyond. His orders were very numerous. Pope Sixtus IV, who built the chapel in his Roman palace, also wanted it to be painted by Sandro Botticelli. In 1481 Botticelli came to Rome. Together with Ghirlandaio, Rosselli and Perugino, he decorated the walls of the papal chapel in the Vatican, which is known as the Sistine Chapel, with frescoes. She will gain worldwide fame after in 1508-1512. the ceiling and altar wall will be painted by Michelangelo.
Botticelli created three frescoes for the chapel: “The Punishment of Korah, Daphne and Abiron”, “The Temptation of Christ” and “The Calling of Moses”, as well as 11 papal portraits.

S. Botticelli “The Temptation of Christ” (1482)

Three episodes from the Gospel - the temptation of Christ - are depicted in the upper part of the fresco. On the left, the devil, disguised as a hermit, persuades the fasting Jesus to turn stones into bread and satisfy his hunger. In the center, the devil tries to force Jesus to jump from the top of the Jerusalem Temple to test God's promise of angelic protection. On the right, the devil on the top of the mountain promises Jesus earthly riches and power over the world if he rejects God and worships him, the devil. Jesus sends the devil away and angels come to minister to the Son of God.
In the foreground, a young man cured of leprosy comes to the high priest of the Temple to declare his cleansing. In his hands is a sacrificial cup and sprinkler. The high priest symbolizes Moses, who brought the law, and the young man represents Jesus, who shed his blood and gave his life for the sake of humanity, and was later resurrected.
Some foreground figures are portraits of the author's contemporaries.

Botticelli's paintings of secular themes

Botticelli's most famous and most mysterious work is “Spring” (“Primavera”).

S. Botticelli “Spring” (1482). Uffizi Gallery (Florence)
The painting depicts a clearing in an orange orchard, all strewn with flowers. Flowers, according to botanists, are reproduced with photographic accuracy, but among them are not only spring flowers, but also summer and even winter flowers.
Three characters of the first group: the god of the west wind Zephyr, he is pursuing Chloris, depicted at the moment of transformation into Flora - flowers are already flying out of her mouth; the goddess of flowers herself, Flora, scatters roses with a generous hand.
The central group is formed alone by Venus, the goddess of gardens and love. Above Venus is Cupid, blindfolded, pointing an arrow at the middle Harita.
To the left of Venus there is a group of three Haritas who dance holding hands.
The last group is formed by Mercury with his attributes: helmet, winged sandals. Botticelli depicted him as a garden guard with a sword.
All the characters hardly touch the ground, they seem to float above it.
There are many interpretations of the painting. They can be divided into philosophical, mythological, religious, historical and exotic.
Around 1485 Botticelli creates another famous painting"Birth of Venus"

S. Botticelli “Birth of Venus” (1482). Uffizi (Florence)

It is believed that the model for Venus was Simonetta Vespucci.
The picture illustrates the myth of the birth of Venus (Greek: Aphrodite. Read in the article “Olympic Gods”). A naked goddess swims to the shore in the shell of a shell, driven by the wind. On the left side of the painting, Zephyr (the west wind), in the arms of his wife Chloris (Roman Flora), blows on a shell, creating a wind filled with flowers. On the shore, the goddess is met by one of the graces.
The pose of Venus clearly shows the influence of classical Greek sculpture. Body proportions are based on the canon of harmony and beauty.
The work of Sandro Botticelli is distinguished by a special melodiousness of line in each of his paintings, a sense of rhythm and harmony, but they are especially clearly expressed in his “Spring” and “Birth of Venus”. The artist never used stencil techniques, so his paintings also excite the modern viewer.

Religious paintings by S. Botticelli from the 1480s

Botticelli's religious works of this time are supreme creative achievements painter.

"Madonna Magnificat"(1481-1485) became famous during the artist’s lifetime. The painting depicts the Coronation of the Mother of God by two angels in the guise of youths. Three other angels hold an open book in front of her, in which Mary writes a doxology beginning with the words: Magnificat anima mea Dominum (“My soul magnifies the Lord”). On Mary's lap is the baby Jesus, and in her left hand she holds a pomegranate, a symbol of God's mercy.

Late works of Sandro Botticelli

In the 1490s, the artist was in a difficult moral state. The death of Lorenzo the Magnificent, the capture of Florence by French troops and the apocalyptic views of Savonarola, with which Botticelli sympathized, all had a strong impact on his consciousness. His paintings of this period are full of drama, melancholy and hopelessness (“Abandoned”, “Mourning of Christ”, “Slander”, etc.).

S. Botticelli “Abandoned” (c. 1495). Rome, Pallavicini collection
The lonely young woman is depicted in great grief and confusion. A crouched figure against the backdrop of a blank wall - and there is nothing else in this extraordinary and strange picture. Who is this woman? Her face could explain something to us, but her face is just not visible. Worn dresses hint at a long, lonely and hopeless journey. Shirts are spread out on the steps like corpses... “Abandoned” has so many meanings that its true meaning is broader than any specific plot.

S. Botticelli “Lamentation of Christ” (1495)
Three Marys and John the Theologian bowed in grief over the lifeless body of Christ. All day they stood at the cross, watching his torment and death. Joseph from Arimathea came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be handed over. Joseph is depicted with a crown of thorns in his hand. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in a clean shroud and laid it in his new tomb, which he carved into the rock - in the tomb that Joseph, anticipating own death, prepared it for myself.
Botticelli placed all the figures very close to each other and at the edges of the picture. They seem to form a cross and unity over the body of Christ.
John the Theologian clung to the Virgin Mary, because Christ bequeathed to his beloved disciple to treat her as a mother. Mary Magdalene hugs the feet, and Mary, the mother of James the Younger, the head of Christ...
Botticelli died on May 17, 1510. He was buried in the cemetery of the Church of All Saints in Florence.
Botticelli's work vividly embodies the features of sublime poetry, sophistication, sophistication, spirituality, and beauty. This is one of the most emotional and lyrical artists of the Renaissance.

The future artist lived and was raised in a patriarchal, deeply religious family,
which left an imprint on his entire subsequent life.

Altar of St. Barnabas

Madonna with a book

Madonna and Child (of the Magnificat) 1480-1481, tempera on panel gallery
Uffizi, Florence, Italy

The early Madonnas radiate an enlightened meekness generated by the harmony of feelings.

Madonna with Pomegranate (Madonna della Melagrana) 1487g, tempera on panel,
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Madonna and Child and 8 Angels 1478, tempera on panel,
State Capital Museum, Berlin, Germany

Madonna under the canopy (del Padiglione) 1493g, tempera on panel,
Pinacoteca Ambrosiano, Milan, Italy

Madonna and Child and Angel 1465-67, tempera on panel,
Gallery of the Orphanage (dello Spedale degli Innocenti), Florence, Italy

Madonna and Child and Angel 1468,
tempera on panel, Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California, USA

Madonna by the Sea 1470-75, tempera on panel,
Gallery of the Academy (dell "Accademia), Florence, Italy

Madonna in the Rose Garden (Madonna Rosengarden) 1469-1470,
tempera on wood, Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Madonna and Child and Angel Madonna of the Communion (Eucharist or Chigi Madonna)1470,
tempera on panel, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, USA

Madonna and Child, two angels and young John the Baptist 1465-1470,
tempera on panel, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence, Italy

Madonna and Child and two angels 1469-70, tempera on panel,
Capodimonte Museum, Naples, Italy

Madonna and Child with John the Baptist 1470-1475, tempera on panel,
Louvre, Paris, France "Madonna and Child and John the Baptist"
refers to the heyday of creativity, the time when the artist worked at the court of the powerful Medici family.
The painting was painted between the 70-75s of the 15th century.
Everything in this work radiates an enlightened meekness, generated by the harmony of feeling and design.

Madonna and Child surrounded by five angels 1470, tempera on panel, Louvre, Paris, France
In this early painting one can feel the strong influence of Filippo Lippi (1406-1469),
with whom Botticelli studied

Madonna with a Book (Libro Madonna) 1483, tempera on panel, Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Milan, Italy

Madonna and Child with John the Baptist c.1490-1495, tempera on canvas Palatina Gallery (Pitti Palace), Florence, Italy

Adoration of the Child 1480-1490, tempera on panel, National Gallery of Art, Washington, USA

Madonna of the Sea
Academic Gallery. Florence.

In the images of later Madonnas, created under the influence of Savonarola’s ascetic sermons, the sad and disappointed artist moves away from the desire to find the embodiment of eternal beauty. The Madonna's face in his paintings becomes bloodless and pale, her eyes full of tears. These faces can still be compared with medieval images of the Mother of God, but they do not have the solemn grandeur of the Queen of Heaven. Rather, these are women of modern times who have experienced and experienced a lot.

Sandro Botticelli, whose works represent an invaluable heritage that embodies the reflections of bygone times, is an outstanding painter of the Renaissance, a bright figure among the painters of the period of Lorenzo the Magnificent.

Biography of the Italian artist

Botticelli's real name is Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi. Botticelli's nickname was inherited from his older brother and translated means “barrel.”

Florentine Sandro Botticelli, whose works are admired throughout the world, was born in 1445 in the family of a leather tanner and was the most youngest son. Father Mariano Filipepi and his wife Zmeralda rented an apartment; their own workshop provided a very modest income, so the tanner dreamed of successfully settling his sons and leaving his craft. In 1458, Sandro worked as an apprentice in a jewelry workshop owned by his brother. Having become proficient in this delicate art, which requires confidence and precision in drawing, he soon became interested in painting and two years later he became an apprentice to the Florentine painter Fra Filippo Lippi, with whom he studied until the age of 22.

Botticelli's first lessons

Valuable lessons in jewelry craftsmanship were useful to the artist in the future: famous works Sandro Botticelli are characterized by clarity contour lines and the professional use of gold, used in its pure form to depict the background or as an admixture to paints. The time spent in the mentor’s workshop was productive and fun for the young man. The student became a follower of his teacher and imitated him in everything. The latter, reciprocating such sincere devotion and desire to absorb the knowledge he received as much as possible, tried to give Botticelli everything that was in his power. The style of the first teacher had a huge influence on the style of painting by Botticelli, especially on ornamental details, color and type of faces.

Next, Sandro, thirsty for new knowledge, became a visitor to the workshop of Andrea Verrocchio, an Italian sculptor and painter, a versatile person who led a team of beginners talented artists. The atmosphere of creative search that prevailed among people of art is clearly expressed in the first works of the Florentine master: “Madonna and Child and Two Angels” and “Madonna in the Rosary.” It is in them that the experience gained by Botticelli from his teachers is clearly visible. In 1467, the Florentine decided to open his own workshop.

Major works of Sandro Botticelli: "Allegory of Force"

The artist completed his first commission in 1470 for the hall of the Commercial Court, a city institution that tried cases of economic offenses. It was a painting of the Allegory of Power, depicting a figure seated on a deep throne. Representing the embodiment of conviction and moral strength, Botticelli’s “Force” expresses instability and inner fragility with its pose.

The year 1472 for Sandro was marked by his enrollment in the association of artists - the Guild of St. Luke, which gave the painter the opportunity to legally maintain a workshop, surrounding himself with assistants. One of Botticelli's students was the son of a former teacher, Filippino Lippi.

Fame of the Florentine painter

By 1475, Sandro Botticelli, whose works were mostly written on biblical and mythological themes, had become a widely known and sought-after master. The artist painted paintings for churches, created frescoes, gradually replacing the grace and flat linearity adopted from Filippo with a new understanding of volumes and a more powerful interpretation of figures. Unlike his first teacher, whose works were characterized by a pale palette, the painter enriched his canvases with bright colors, which gradually became more and more saturated. Also, Sandro Botticelli, whose paintings embody the spirit of the Renaissance, began to use ocher shadows to convey flesh color - a technique that became a feature of his style of painting.

Famous works of Sandro Botticelli

Photos of paintings Italian artist convey the enormous talent of the Florentine, who left a bright mark on creative heritage of your country. Many of Sandro Botticelli's works date back to the 1470s, although not all are precisely dated. The time of writing of most of them was determined through stylistic analysis.

This time period includes such paintings as “The Adoration of the Magi” (1475), “St. Sebastian" (1473), "Portrait of a Florentine Lady" (1470) and "Portrait young man"(1470). Around 1476, a portrait of Lorenzo the Magnificent's brother, Giuliano de' Medici, who was killed during the 1478 conspiracy, was painted. Botticelli was in close contact with the Medici family, the undisputed rulers of Florence. It was for Giuliano that the artist painted the banner for the 1475 tournament.

The individuality of Botticelli's style

In the works of the period of the 1470s, one can trace the gradual growth of the artistic skill of the Florentine author: the borrowed styles of other artists and stylistic fluctuations disappeared in his canvases. Botticelli has own style writing: the characters in his paintings are characterized by a strong structure, the contours are characterized by energy, elegance and clarity, and the dramatic imagery is achieved by a combination of a strong inner spirit and active action.

These components are present in the fresco “St. Augustine” (1480). The artist was strong in painting still life. The objects present in his paintings are depicted accurately and clearly, expressing the author’s ability to correctly capture the essence of form. At the same time, they do not come to the fore, focusing the viewer’s attention on the key characters. Sandro Botticelli, whose paintings are presented in the world's most famous galleries, used Gothic churches and castle walls as backgrounds, thus achieving a picturesque romantic effect.

Frescoes for the Sistine Chapel

Sandro Botticelli, whose works delight the audience, mainly received his orders in Florence. One of the most famous paintings- “Saint Sebastian”, written for the oldest city church of Santa Maria Maggiore. The canvas, solemnly placed on one of the church columns in January 1474, firmly established itself in the artistic panorama of Florence. In 1481, Sandro Botticelli, together with Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli, received an invitation from Pope Sixtus IV to Rome to paint frescoes on the side walls of the newly erected Sistine Chapel.

In the completed works “The Healing of the Leper and the Temptation of Christ”, “The Punishment of Korah” and “Scenes from the Life of Moses”, the author masterfully solved the problem of interpreting a complex theological program: making full use of compositional effects, he interpreted it with lively, clear, light dramatic scenes.

Mythological trends in Botticelli's paintings

Returning to Florence in 1482, Sandro buried his father. After a short break, I took up painting again. This time was the peak of Botticelli’s fame: clients flocked to his workshop, so some of the orders were carried out by the master’s students, while he himself took on complex and prestigious orders.

At this time the world was seen famous works Sandro Botticelli: “Pallas and the Centaur”, “Spring”, “Venus and Mars”, “Birth of Venus”, which are among the most valuable works of the Renaissance and are true masterpieces of Western European art. The subjects of these paintings, in which the influence is clearly felt ancient art and an excellent knowledge of classical sculpture, inspired by mythology.

"Birth of Venus"

“The Birth of Venus” symbolizes the myth of the union of matter and the life-giving spirit that breathes life into it. The improvement of the human race is embodied in the figure of Ora, holding out the cloak of modesty to the goddess - a historical moment that was very clearly and soulfully captured by the Italian master Sandro Botticelli.

The paintings, the list of which is quite extensive, in the later stages began to be characterized by signs of some mannerism, so to speak, narcissism of one’s own skill. To increase psychological expressiveness, he violates the proportions of the figures. It is known that Botticelli often commissioned sketches for engravings and textiles, but only a small part of these drawings has survived to this day.

Famous paintings by the Italian

The canvas “The Wedding of the Mother of God” (1490) is imbued with exciting anxiety, concern of feelings and bright hopes. The angels depicted in the painting convey anxiety, in the gesture of St. Jerome exudes confidence and dignity. In the work one can feel a certain departure from the perfection of proportions, an increase in tension, an increase in the sharpness of color - a certain change in the style inherent in Sandro Botticelli.

The works and photographs of the paintings express a desire for deep drama, which is clearly visible in the painting “Abandoned,” the plot of which is taken from the Bible: Tamar, who was driven out by Ammon. Artistic personification this historical fact carries a universal human meaning: understanding of a woman’s weakness, sympathy for loneliness and the despair she holds back, a blank barrier in the form of a thick wall and a locked gate.

The last years of the life of the Italian artist

In 1493, Botticelli buried his beloved brother Giovanni, while Florence was saying goodbye to Lorenzo the Magnificent. In the city - the former cradle of humanistic thought - Savonaroda's revolutionary speeches were heard. came in the life of Sandro Botticelli. Paintings, the description of which is characterized by deep sadness and melancholy, express a complete decline in the author’s mood. Savonaroda's sermons about the coming end of the world led to the fact that in February 1497 the people built a huge bonfire in the central square, in which they burned valuable works of art. Some artists also succumbed to mass psychosis, among whom was Botticelli. He burned several of his sketches in the flames, although there is no exact evidence of this act. Soon Savonarola was accused of heresy and publicly executed.

Towards the end of his life, Botticelli was very lonely, became frail and very ill. According to contemporaries, the artist was able to move only with the help of crutches. Its former glory remained in the past, orders stopped coming: times changed, it was replaced new era art. The artist was never married and had no children. Sandro Botticelli died in all alone in 1510.

Biography of Sandro Botticelli very rich. Let's start with the fact that his name is a nickname. His real name was Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi. Sandro is short for Alessandro, but Botticelli’s nickname stuck to him because that was the name of one of the artist’s older brothers. Translated, this means “barrel”. He was born in Florence in 1445.

The father of the future artist was a tanner. Around 1458, little Sandro was already working as an apprentice in a jewelry workshop that belonged to one of his older brothers. But he did not stay there for long, and already in the early 1460s he was enrolled as an apprentice to the artist Fra Philippa Lippi.

The years in Lippi's art workshop were fun and productive. The artist and his student got along well with each other. Subsequently, Lippi himself became a student of Botticelli. Since 1467, Sandro opened his own workshop.

Botticelli completed his first commission for the courtroom. This was in 1470. By 1475, Sandro Botticelli was a well-known and sought-after master. He began to create frescoes and paint paintings for churches.

Botticelli was considered “an insider” almost everywhere, including in wealthy royal families. So, Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici, when he bought a villa for himself, invited Sandro Botticelli to live with him and paint pictures for the interior. It was at this time that Botticelli wrote two of his most famous paintings- " " And " ". Both paintings are presented on our website with detailed descriptions.

By 1481, Botticelli traveled to Rome at the invitation of Pope Sixtus IV. He took part in the mural, which had just been completed.

After his father's death in 1482, Botticelli returned to his native Florence. Having survived the tragedy, the artist took up paintings again. Customers flocked to his workshop, so some work was carried out by the master's apprentice, and he only took on more complex and prestigious orders. This time was the peak of Sandro Botticelli's fame. He was reputed to be the most the best artist Italy.

But ten years later the government changed. Savonarola ascended the throne, who despised the Medici, their luxury, and corruption. Botticelli had a hard time. In addition, in 1493, Botticelli’s brother Giovanni, whom he loved very much, died. Botticelli lost all support. Although this period did not last long, because in 1498 Savonarol was excommunicated and publicly burned at the stake, it was still very difficult.

Towards the end of his life, Botticelli was very lonely. About him former glory not a trace remained. He was rejected as an artist and no more orders were made. He died in 1510.