9783791319858

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The celebrated allegorical paintings La Primavera and The Birth of Venus were the source of Botticelli's rediscovery in both the 16th and 19th centuries, and are still regarded as apogees of Florentine Renaissance painting. In this volume, the author closely examines these and other paintings of mythological content by the artist. He compellingly retells the stories of classical antiquity from which so many of Botticelli's motifs derive, equipping the reader with tools to better appreciate the narrative quality of the artist's works. Descriptions of Botticelli's artistic virtuosity and explanations as to the important role the artist played in Renaissance painting are accompanied by reproductions of the highest quality. In A Tuscan Spring, the vicissitudes of Botticelli's patrons' lives are examined, especially in connection with the intrinsic meanings of the paintings they commissioned from the artist. The author delves into myths and mythological motifs, explores the theory of La Primavera as a wedding portrait, and dwells on the intrigue of masculine desire and female dominance, all beautifully illustrated in color reproductions.

"It is his contention that what we have always known as Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus' is in reality a portrayal of the arrival of the goddess of love on Cyprus. 'Thus far,' he goes on, 'few details of the picture have been interpreted either coherently or convincingly.'"

John Russell, New York Times Book Review, 12/06/1998

Botticelli: Images of Love and Spring: Search Results