Botticelli, Sandro_Primavera / Spring

Sandro Botticelli (1446–1510) ♦ Primavera means Spring
It measures 203 × 314 cm. It was painted around 1477 and was almost certainly commissioned as a wedding gift for a nephew of Lorenzo de’ Medici, ‘Il Magnifico,’ and then hung in the couple’s bedroom. Afterwards, it fell into obscurity for hundreds of years, only to be rediscovered by the general public in the mid-19th century.

The painting is the first work of the Renaissance in which pagan gods are depicted almost life-size, something previously reserved for religious subjects. The painting continues to capture the imagination, especially because the artist’s exact intention remains unclear.

♦ The painting is meant to be “read” from right to left.
Right Zephyr, the west wind, is chasing Chloris. When he catches her, she breathes out flowers and transforms into Flora, the goddess of spring, who scatters flowers from her embroidered dress onto the ground.
In the center, Venus gestures toward the three Graces, who dance eternally in a circle.
At the far left stands Mercury, recognizable by his winged sandals and the staff with two snakes, his caduceus, emerging from a cloud.

The Three Graces, one of them (perhaps longing?) looks toward Mercury; since Roman times, they are the first women depicted sensually, which is why the painting is seen as a turning point in art history.
Cupid hovers above the arch framing the central figure, suggesting that the central theme may be love.
Very remarkable in the painting are the flowers: more than five hundred different species are depicted, often down to the smallest detail. Interestingly, not all of these flowers bloom in spring; in this regard, Botticelli took some artistic license.

The caduceus is a staff entwined by two snakes, sometimes with wings at the ends. It is the attribute of Mercury and is used by messengers as a symbol of peace.
Cupid (Eros to the Greeks) was the son of Venus. His father may have been Jupiter, Vulcan, or Mars. He is often depicted as a winged archer or a beautiful young boy who had two types of arrows: golden ones to inspire love and lead ones to repel it. Sometimes he is blindfolded, implying that love is blind, or he ties a knot symbolically binding two lovers together.

Mercurius, the son of Jupiter and Maia, he was the athletic messenger of the gods. He acted as a guide and ambassador, was the protector of travelers, and escorted the souls of the dead to the underworld. He is usually depicted with winged sandals “of never-fading gold” and sometimes with a winged petasus, a hat with a low crown and narrow brim. He was also the god of dreams and sleep, and carried a staff that he could use at will.

Zephyr he was the gentle west wind, blowing from the coasts, warmed by the setting sun. He pursued and abducted the Greek maiden Chloris and married her.
Caught in his grasp, she transformed into Flora, the goddess of flowers. Flora enjoyed an eternal spring in her garden, filled with countless flowers and fruits, where the Three Graces wove garlands for her.

Source: The Art of Looking
Intranet

Source: The Art of Looking
Intranet

Photo's
wikipedia