Botticelli's "The Mystic Nativity"

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the Savonarolan iconography in the "Mystic Nativity" painting by Allesandro Botticelli in order to provide evidence for the influence of Savonarola's preaching, beliefs and political influences on Botticelli's artwork during the time of Savonarola's authority over Florence and her people.

From the Paper:

"Allesandro Botticelli painted the Mystic Nativity during the beginning of the 1500s in Florence, most likely for a private patron and follower of the fanatical Dominican Friar, Savonarola. The Mystic Nativity, named for its mysterious symbolism is tempera on canvas measuring 108.6 x 74.9 cm and is currently located in the National Gallery, London. Although there are many interpretations of the iconography included in this nativity scene, the majority of the interpretations diverge primarily into two lines of thought. One such line of thought confidentially believes that the Dominican Friar, Savonarola had an enormous impact on Botticelli's later paintings including such artistic works as the Mystic Nativity and the Mystic Crucifixion due to the Savonarolan beliefs, preaching, and political influences of the Dominican Friar. Another line of thought belongs to those who identify the iconography with the other symbols of Botticelli's time and the city of Florence during the late 1400s until the early 1500s where Botticelli painted the Mystic Nativity."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Dempsey, Charles. Oxford Art Online. Botticelli, Sandro {Filipepei, Alessandro (diMariano diVanni)}, 2008. http://oxfordartonline.com:80/subscriber/article/grove/art/T010385,(accessed 28 August 2008).
• Harden, Mark. Mystic Nativity. Art Archive, http://www.artchive.com/artchive/B/botticelli/mystical_nativity.jpg.html, (accessed 15 September 2008).
• Hatfield, Rab. "Botticelli's Mystic Nativity, Savonarola and the Millennium." Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 58, (1995): 89-114.
• National Gallery London. Sandro Botticelli, Mystic Nativity, http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cgibin/WebObjects.dll/CollectionPublisher.woa/wa/work?workNumber=ng1034, (accessed 2 September 2008).
• Panofsky, Erwin. "Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait." The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, Vol. 64, no. 373 (March 1934): 117-127

More papers on Botticelli's "The Mystic Nativity":

• Analytical Essay # 36987 : "The Mystical Nativity"
• Book Review # 128431 : "Literary Techniques found in "The Return Of The Native"
• Book Review # 128429 : "Character Analysis in "The Return Of The Native"

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