Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus"

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses the artist Sandro Botticelli and looks at his most famous work 'The Birth of Venus'. The writer discusses various influences on the work of Botticelli and points out that he combined ideas of mythology with Christian concepts in his painting. The writer notes that the 'Birth of Venus' is believed to be inspired by the Homeric Hymns and Ovid. Furthermore, the writer discusses that in the painting itself, Venus is loosely correlated to the Virgin Mary, while Zephyr and Aura are represented as angels and the nymph Hora, who welcomes Venus, suggests the relationship of St. John to the savior. The writer concludes by pointing out that Botticelli's later works focus on more Christian subjects with traditional themes.

From the Paper:

"In his art, Botticelli was truly a Florentine of his time as he spent his whole life there minus one year in Rome where he worked on the Sistine Chapel. Furthermore, the subject matter of his art was influenced by the social and philosophical atmosphere established in Florence by the famous Medici family. Botticelli benefited by a close relationship with that family at the height of their influence on the social and political atmosphere of Florence. Several of his works were painted either directly for the Medici family such as portraits or indirectly through commissions that the Medici family controlled. Without a doubt, Botticelli was a favorite in the family and had access to other artists and thinkers gathered around the family."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Botticelli: Biography." Myrrhine. 6 April 2006. http://www.myrrhine.net/botticelli/biography.html
• "Botticelli, Sandro." Web Gallery of Art. 6 April 2006. http://www.wga.hu/bio/b/botticel/biography.html
• Gombrich, E.H. The Story of Art. New York: Oxford University Press, 1966.
• Janson, H.W. and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art (5th Edition). New Jersey:Prentice Hall, 1997.

More papers on Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus":

• Analytical Essay # 146637 : "Myth within Art and" The Birth of Venus "
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