62 JULY/AUGUST 2019
During this time, Botticelli began a close
working relationship with the Medici, who
commissioned several paintings from him.
These include “Portrait of a Young Man with
a Medal of Cosimo the Elder,” from 1474-1475,
and the 1475 “Adoration of the Magi,” which
contains portraits of members of the Medici
family paying tribute to the Holy Family.
Botticelli’s career coincided with the
flourishing of Neoplatonism, a Renaissance
philosophy based on the teachings of Plato.
Neoplatonism acknowledged the supremacy
of spirit over matter and viewed intellect and
love as leading the soul toward God. Cosimo
encouraged this philosophy, which was contin-
ued by his heirs. They also looked to the clas-
sical world to illustrate truths about their own.
Botticelli’s most famous works also draw on
the classical world for inspiration. Commis-
sioned by the Medici, his great mythological
works of the 1480s—including “Primavera,”
“Birth of Venus,” and “Pallas and the Centaur”—
reflect Neoplatonist values in their beautiful
renderings of classical material. At first glance,
these works are entrancing on the surface, but
Botticelli’s fluid brushwork and intricate details
create new levels of meaning, both allegorical
and symbolic, to engage the viewer.Changing Times, Changing Art
Botticelli’s religious works also earned him fame.
He made a rare trip to Rome in 1481 to work on
frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Vasari’s account
of the Rome visit is an interesting insight into
how Botticelli lived generally: “Having rapidly
squandered his earnings, he lived in haphazard
fashion, as was his custom.”
In 1492, the political climate in Florence shift-
ed after the death of Lorenzo the Magnificent.
A Dominican friar, Girolamo Savonarola, gained
influence in the wake of Lorenzo’s death and at-
tracted many spiritual followers who opposed
the Medici. According to Vasari, Botticelli fell
under Savonarola’s sway, which led him to give
up painting, his only means of earning a living.
Vasari recorded: “Nonetheless, he remained an
obstinate member of the sect.”
This master of the Italian Renaissance died
in 1510, at age 64. Many of his most celebrated
works were, by then, hung in the landmarks
of his district, buildings he had known since
childhood, including the Ognissanti Church,
where he was laid to rest in a modest tomb.HIDDEN
FIGURES
Botticelli’s 1475-76
“Adoration of the
Magi” includes
several portaits.
One of the magi,
Cosimo de’ Medici,
holds the feet
of baby Jesus.
Botticelli himself
gazes out at the far
right, while Lorenzo
de’ Medici observes
from the far left.
Uffizi Gallery,
Florence.
HISTORIAN ALESSANDRA PAGANO WRITES ON ARTISTS OF THE RENAISSANCE ERA.
SHE IS ALSO A SPECIALIST ON ART FROM HER NATIVE ITALIAN REGION OF CALABRIA.ALBUM