Sandro Botticelli

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A famous Florentinepainter. Born at Florence about 1447; died in the same city, 1510. Botticelli's name is properly Allesandro di Mariano Filipepi, Mariano Filipepi being hisfather, but he is called after the Florentinepainter and goldsmith, Botticelli, to whom he was first apprenticed. Later on he was a pupil ofFra Filippo Lippi and learned from this master topaint in the ideal manner ofFra Angelico. Through the influence ofVerrocchio and the brothers Pollajuoli thisidealism was combined with the naturalness ofMasaccio. These qualities explain Botticelli's great influence over laterpainters. Botticelli's life was a retired one passed largely in very modest circumstances. Weknow, however that he was in the employ of theMedici and other prominent Florentinefamilies from about 1483 to 1500. Although never inclined to frivolity he was yet influence by the worldly spirit of the age untilSavonarola's powerful call to repentance aroused his moral nature and guided his powers, it now seems, into entirely new paths. He neverknew how to take care of money and he died at last in need. Botticelli was too unassuming to sign and date his works in most instances, so that the order in time of hispaintings has to be judged from the canvasses themselves.

Madonnas

Botticelli enjoys, above all, a well-earned fame as apainter of theMadonna. In these pictures the fascination lies more in the expression of the Mother and Child and in the look on the faces of the half-grown boy-angels than in the unaffected simplicity of the pose and composition. Two of these pictures, circular in form (calledtondo, round) have become very famous. Both are in Florence; one is the "Magnificat". and in the other the Child is holding a pomegranate. A circular canvas atBerlin which depicts the Madonnaenthroned and surrounded byangels carrying candles is characterized by deep religious feeling. A number of small pictures of the Madonna recall Fra Filippo; others more severe in tome seem to show the influence of Verrocchio. The Child's expression is always sweet and winning, yet thoughtful as well, and at times the look is one of intense earnestness. The Mother in holy awe restrains her tenderness and seems to have a presentiment of future sorrow. This feeling of melancholy foreboding is also expressed in the attendantangels andsaints. Apainting of thisenthroned Madonna with the two Johns is atBerlin; two canvases at Florence depict the same Madonna surrounded by numeroussaints. It is plain that the look of melancholy on the face of theMother of God had a strange attraction for thepainter. His portrait of himself in the "Destruction of Core, Dathan, and Abiron" shows his natural inclination to intense earnestness, and in the "Outcasts" he has depicted the profoundest depths of grief.

Biblical subjects

In 1481Sixtus IV summoned Botticelli, along with otherpainters, toRome to decorate the new Sistine Chapel. According to the biographer, Visari, he was even to superintend the entire work. In thechapel Botticellipainted three frescoes which represent events in the lives of Moses and Christ. No less than seven scenes are united in the "Life of the Youthful Moses", so that the composition lacks unity; withoutdoubt the artist laboured under a feeling of restraint. The composition is animated in parts and is intended to arouse the feelings. The "Destruction of Core, Dathan, and Abiron" is represented in three scenes. The figure of Moses appears here in all the majesty whichGod had granted him for the punishment of rebels. There is an interesting connection between this picture andPerugino's "Granting of the Keys to Peter" on the opposite wall. Moses in the fullness of his might is the counterpart of Peter to whom the keys ofheaven are entrusted. Over against the fresco of the proving of the youthful Moses, Botticellipainted from theNew Testament the "Temptation of Christ". Thepope has this picture before him when, seated upon his throne, he is present at the celebration of the Mass. Strange to say, the foreground of thepainting represents the purification of aleper before a company ofecclesiastics and secular dignitaries and contains besides an allusion to thepope. The explanation of the scene is as follows: Moses had to undergo trials before he could become the leader of his people, so also theSavior had to suffer in order to healmankind from theleprosy ofsin, and so also thepope in order to carry outChrist's missions. As an allegorical indication of this ahospital built bySixtus IV is shown in the picture. It must be acknowledged that thepainter executed the difficult task assigned to him in thechapel with striking skill. Feeling the importance of this work Botticelli carried out his designs almost entirely himself; the smallest details show theinfinite pains he took. In these frescoes he has given a large amount of space to Roman architecture, thereby setting a good working example to thepainters coming after him. Of Botticelli's other Biblical pictures mention may be made of the "Birth of Christ", which was intended to be a memorial ofSavonarola. While a chorus ofangels sing the praises ofGod above the manger, in this picture, threeangels below leadDominicanmonks towards the Savior,Christ, who had been proclaimed by Savanarola to be king of the city of Florence. We also have an "Adoration of the Magi" in four examples (Florence, London, and St. Petersburg). This canvas is full of figures and has a background composed of stately architecture and landscape. The copy at Florence is famous on account of the portraits of theMedici it contains, which were introduced in accordance with the custom of the time. About 1500 Botticelli produced the two examples of the "Lamentation of Christ" which are now atMunich andMilan. In this composition the expression of grief is deep but subdued.

Portraits

Among the twenty-four portraits ofpopes in the Sistine chapel five are by Botticelli In the church of the Ognissanti at Florence there is a celebrated picture ofSt. Augustine by Botticelli opposite to aSt. Jerome byGhirlandajo. There are two portraits of Guiliano de Medici in existence and an excellent portrait of awoman atFrankfort.

Other subjects

In celebration of a wedding Botticellipainted in the villa of the Tornabuoni near Fiesole an allegorical scene representing the Seven Arts and the Virtues paying their homage to the newly married pair. Among his mythological pictures may be mentioned the "Venus" who sails upon a shell towards the island which she has chosen for her habitation. Another mythological subject is "Venus and Mars". Botticelli contributed theenthroned "Fortitude" and "Spring" to the allegorical style ofpainting so popular in his day. The "Columny of Apelles", which is realistic in execution, is essentially allegorical. Closely related to these works are the more than ninety illustrations toDante's "Divine Comedy", that poem which fromGiotto toMichaelangelo, has stimulated theimagination of so manypainters. Four sheets executed in colour seem to indicate an intention to carry out the whole work in the same manner after the designs had once been made with the pen and pencil. Most of the pictures are not more than outlined or sketched. There is, however, much that is admirable in these designs, which formed one of the chief occupations of the last years of thepainter. The fidelity to nature in the drawing of the human figure, the contemplative expression of the faces, the dramatic animation of the action, and the skillful arrangement of the perspective make these designs a last triumph for Botticelli.

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