Sandro Botticelli: biography, paintings, video

Greetings to art and history lovers! The article “Sandro Botticelli: biography, paintings, video” – about the life and work of the great Italian painter of the Renaissance, a representative of the Florentine school of painting.

Biography of Botticelli

Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli, was born in Florence in 1445 in a family of leather craftsmen. The baby received the nickname “Botticelli” (“barrel”) from his brother Giovanni.

For the first time, Sandro was mentioned in 1458. Father writes, “that Sandro is slowly mastering literacy, but he is very often ill”. As a teenager, Sandro was for some time an apprentice in the jewelry workshop of another brother, Antonio. And at the age of fifteen he entered to study with Fra Filippo Lippi, who was already a recognized painter.

Lippi, a former Carmelite monk, is also known for kidnapping the young novice Lucretia Buti right from the monastery when one of the church holidays was held there. He married her and the younger Filippino grew up in their family, who later also became a famous master of painting.

Unfortunately, very little is known about Sandro’s years of study. Lippi’s son, as a teenager, became a student of Botticelli. They all lived in harmony and friendship.

Paintings by Sandro Botticelli

When Sandro was twenty-two, he started his own business. In 1470 he received an order to depict Power in an allegory, glorifying Christianity. The canvas was intended for the courtroom of the Merchants Guild.

In 1472, Sandro Botticelli joined the Guild of St. Luke (Society of Painters). By December 1473, he became a highly sought-after artist. Botticelli paints the face of St. Sebastian for the temple of Santa Maria Madjore, and then he is invited to Pisa.

In the chapel of the Coronation of Our Lady, he creates an amazing, in the opinion of his contemporaries, fresco. Unfortunately, this masterpiece has not survived to this day. This is another striking evidence that in the 1470s. the fame of this painter stepped over the borders of Florence.

In 1475, the painter created the painting “Adoration of the Magi”, which was commissioned by the successful banker J. Lamy, close to the rulers of the Medici. It was probably Lamy who introduced the artist to the court. Art critics suggest that several figures in the famous painting depict members of the Medici family.

In the course of communication with the crowned family, Botticelli unwittingly became a participant in political events. In the spring of 1478, during Mass, one of the Pazzi family, in front of numerous parishioners, kills Giuliano Medici, Lorenzo’s brother.

The killer, saving his life, managed to quickly escape from the place of the bloody massacre. The entire Pazzi family was sentenced to the gallows.

After a fairly short time, the Medici commissioned the painter to portraits of all those executed, depicting them on the palace walls. Strange, but the fulfillment of this order, in the end, led to even greater popularity of Botticelli.

He entered the palace at any time and gained great confidence in Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de Medici, the ruler’s cousin. In 1476 he inherited a large sum and began building the villa. For about four years the master has been painting for the palace. He creates two masterpieces – “Spring” and “The Birth of Venus”.

At the zenith of glory

In 1481, Pope Sixtus IV invited Botticelli to the Vatican to decorate the recently erected Sistine Chapel. The painter performed this work with other prominent masters, one of whom was Perugino.

He painted the frescoes “The Temptation of Christ”, “The Youth of Moses” and others. In 1482 his father dies and the master returns to his homeland. A whole sea of ​​new orders awaited him here.

In the 1480s. the painter was already at the peak of popularity, and orders came to him continuously. It was simply unrealistic for him to fulfill all orders alone. Many works are performed by his students, who skillfully imitated the manner of their teacher.

The painter himself works on unusual and prestigious orders. These are frescoes, altar images and several allegories. The fame of the painter is enormous.

The Duke of Milan, who asked the name of the best artist in Florence, received the answer that it was, Botticelli, “he writes magnificently. His works are remarkable for their extraordinary strength and precision of proportions ”.

In the 1490s. important events took place that changed the life of the artist. In 1492 Lorenzo the Magnificent passed away. His son Pierrot, who had no talent for governing the state, became the ruler.

For example, he reacted strangely to the invasion of the French army. In order not to engage in battles, he surrenders Pisa to the enemy without a fight. This causes the strongest indignation of the inhabitants and they expel Piero from Florence.

Difficult period in life and work

The reign of the Dominican monk Girolamo Savonarola, who for several years has opposed the rule of the Medici, comes. He vehemently accuses them of corruption, luxury and debauchery. He also criticizes the papacy, calls on the clergy to an ascetic lifestyle.

The performances find a warm response from ordinary people. Their support brought Savonarola to the throne. These events coincide with a difficult period in the life of Botticelli. In 1493 his brother Giovanni died.

The master has doubts about the justification of his activities. There is no one to support the master. Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco also found himself in a difficult situation. He even leaves Florence for a while.

The painter in his views took the side of the new ruler. It is not known how deeply the painter shared the views of Savonarola.

Some art historians believe that he became a “convert” because the style of his work changes dramatically. But Savonarola’s power was fleeting. In 1498 he was deposed, excommunicated and burned in the square.

The glory of the master fades. Giorgio Vasari reports that in his old age he was poor and walked slowly, leaning on crutches.

Sandro Botticelli left this world in 1510. He was forgotten for a long time. His name was rediscovered at the end of the nineteenth century by the British J. Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelite artists.

Friends, in this video you can see the artist’s paintings and find out additional information “Sandro Botticelli: biography and creativity”

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