birth of venus

Known as the "Birth of Venus", the composition actually shows the goddess of love and beauty arriving on land, on the island of Cyprus, born from sea mist and carried by the winds, Zephyr and, perhaps, Aura. The goddess stands on a giant scallop shell, as pure and perfect as a pearl. He encounters a young woman, sometimes identified as one of the Graces or the Hour of Spring, holding a cloak covered in flowers. Even the roses, blown by the wind, are a reminder of spring. The theme of the painting, which celebrates Venus as a symbol of love and beauty, was perhaps suggested by the poet Agnolo Poliziano.

The work was most likely commissioned by a member of the Medici family, although there is nothing written about the painting before 1550, when Giorgio Vasari described it in the Medici Villa di Castello, owned by the Cadet Branch of Medici. the Medici family, since In the middle of the 15th century. This hypothesis would seem to arise from the orange trees in the painting, which are considered an emblem of the Medici dynasty, due to the assonance between the surname and the name of the orange tree, which at that time was "bad". medical '.

Unlike the "Allegory of Spring", which is painted on wood, the "Birth of Venus" was painted on canvas, a medium that was widely used throughout the 15th century for decorative works intended for noble houses.

Botticelli draws inspiration from classical statues for Venus' modest posture, as she covers her nudity with long blonde hair, which has light reflections due to the fact that it has been gilded; even the Winds, the couple flying in each other's embrace, is based on an ancient work, a gem of the Hellenistic period, owned by Lorenzo the Magnificent.