Botticelli Essay, Research Paper

McGaharan 1

Jon McGaharan

AP Art History

Mrs. Johnston

1 December 1999

Botticelli, Sandro. Primavera. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. Mark Harden? s

Artchive. By Mark Harden. Available hypertext transfer protocol: //www.artchive.com/ftp_site.html.

Botticelli? s chef-d’oeuvre, Primavera, depicts a scene of slow traveling grace in what

appears to be a fabulous garden. The existent topic of this chef-d’oeuvre is unknown, but

there are volumes of thoughts refering the intents and significances the picture could hold.

Despite the confusion the picture is widely admired and revered as Botticelli? s finest

plants. The scene appears to be a spring forenoon, with a pale visible radiation perforating the heterosexual

perpendicular trees in the background. The trees appear to bear aureate apples, a possible

mention to the myth of Venus and the aureate apple which seems executable sing

Venus appears in the centre of the painting underneath the great canopy provided by the

trees. Aureate apples are besides the property of the Three Graces, the servants of Venus,

besides shown in this work. Chloris, the ancient Greek goddess of flowers, is flying from

Zephyr, the west air current of springtime whom begets flowers, on the right side of the

picture. When Zephyr catches her in his embracing flowers spill from her lips and she

transforms into Flora the Roman goddess of flowers. Flora is depicted individually from

Chloris and is dressed in flowers as she scatters flowers over the land. In the centre is

a dignified Venus with a promise of joy. Above Venus is the infant Cupid, blindfolded and

taking his pointers of love. To the left the Three Graces dance in soundless reverie of grace.

They are separated from the other figures in clip as indicated by their hair blowing in the

opposite way from Zephyr? s blasts. The figure on the extreme left is that of Mercury,

courier of the Gods. He provides a

male opposite number to Zephyr. Zephyr is take a breathing

love and heat into

McGaharan 2

a wintry universe while Mercury is deviating this look to a more culturally acceptable

signifier, sing the context of the clip period, by opening the scene to the Gods. The

scene has a dream like quality. The topic seems to be ambivalent, the gentle yet strong

colourss give the figures presence and weight, but the figures besides seem unsubstantial or

dreamlike.

The light figures of the painting to a great extent contrast with the dark background of the

forests. The land does non look to be present but flowers are scattered on top of it

adding to the dreamlike province of the work. The image is harmonized by the equal

distribution of figures over the image plane. There is a slow moving beat to the manner

the figures move added to by the assorted gestures of their weaponries, graceful and elegant. It is

interesting to observe that the manus of the flying Chloris as it overlaps, and appears to intermix

into, the arm of Flora.

Botticelli lived from 1445 to 1510 in Florence. Despite his individualism as a

Renaissance painter, he remained small known for centuries after his decease until his work

was rediscovered tardily in the nineteenth century. Botticelli was a student of the painter Fra Filippo

Lippi. He was commissioned to make this work after basking success over his work Venus

and Mars, an fable of War and Love, for the Medici households. Lorenzo di Piefrancesco

de? Medici enjoyed Mars and Venus so much he commissioned Botticelli for two plants,

Primavera and The Birth of Venus. These plants are considered his best plants.

I chose this piece because I reviewed Mars and Venus and found the elegance of

Botticelli manner captivating. The enigma of this peculiar picture interested me. The fact

that bookmans can non understand the exact topic of the work adds an component of enigma

to the work.

on paper