Painting by Botticelli “Spring”: mythological mysteries

In the painting by Sandro Botticelli “Spring” several mythological mysteries are encrypted. This conclusion was reached by art critics, arguing which of the meanings the painter laid in the canvas. There are three obvious versions:

• glorification of the beauty of the human body;
• allegory of fertility;
• worship of the goddess Venus.

Beloved son of the beautiful Florence

The real name of the painter sounds very Italian – Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi. But the whole world knows him as Sandro Botticelli, the author of such masterpieces as “Spring”, “Birth of Venus”, “Judith”, “Mystical Christmas”.

His whole life was spent in Florence: here he was born, studied jewelry and painting, fell in love, delighted the townspeople with his masterpieces. He became a favorite of the Medici family, which was at the head of the government of the Florentine Republic. He worked at the same time as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The painter was in demand not only in his native city. His work was highly appreciated in Rome and other Italian provinces. He created frescoes for the papal chapel in the Vatican.

One of the most famous works painted by Sandro Botticelli is called Spring. The order for this work was made by Lorenzo Medici. The canvas was supposed to be presented as a wedding gift to his nephew, Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco Medici. The young man was barely seventeen years old, he was young, ambitious, obstinate and had his own ideas about how to build his own destiny.

For political reasons, the elder Lorenzo Medici insisted on the wedding of a relative with a girl belonging to one of the noble and wealthy families of Florence. The work was supposed to serve as a kind of reminder to the nephew, to instruct him on the right path. Initially, it was known where the picture would be hung – in the Medici villa in Castello. It was assumed that the newlyweds would settle there. Now this world masterpiece is stored in the Uffizi Museum.

Revealing the plot

“Spring” is one of the greatest works of the Renaissance, this picture embodies the world of natural grace. The picture is bright, it depicts many characters. The painter did not seek to bring this work closer to reality.

On the canvas – an ideal world, enchanting with its extraordinary dynamism. If you look closely, you involuntarily pay attention to the melodiousness of the compositions. This hidden musicality makes Botticelli’s work an unsurpassed masterpiece. The inner plot reveals the theme of the change of seasons. God of the west wind, Zephyr – winter, flowering is still far away. A sprig of hops, which the nymph Chloris holds in her mouth, means the approach of sunny days.

Looking at the image of Flora, it is clear that this is spring. Looking at her, one gets the feeling that right now, before our eyes, she will scatter blooming roses and the long-awaited summer will come. Above the head of the central character, the goddess Venus, we see not only charming blooming flowers, but also the fruits of oranges. This is summer in all its varied beauty. The figure of the god Mercury completes the natural cycle in the picture. Before us is autumn. The time when the riot of flowering stops.

Getting to know the characters

In the picture in the orange grove and among the laurel trees, Sandro depicted nine heroes with whom we are familiar from ancient myths.

In the center of the canvas is the delightful goddess of love and fertility Venus. Her image symbolizes humanity. Humanism is one of the central ideas of the Renaissance. The goddess is dressed in the fashion of the 15th century. It stands exactly in the center of the arch, which is formed by the branches of orange trees. Above the head of the beautiful Venus, Cupid is circling, shooting from a bow.

On the left is a group of three girls. The girls hold hands and dance around. Florentine humanist philosophers believed that they meant beauty, chastity and love. Sea pearls, woven into the flowing long hair of beautiful creatures, symbolize physical and spiritual purity. The robe of the Graces is made of a translucent veil.

To the left of the girls is Mercury. He is dressed, as befits a Roman, in a red toga. His mission is to guard the orange orchard. Therefore, he is armed. On the feet of Mercury are winged sandals.

To the right of Venus is a group of three figures. This is Zephyr (he is on the edge). It is considered a harbinger of the onset of the warm season. In the painting, Zephyr is chasing the beautiful nymph Chloris. Closer to Venus is Flora (goddess of spring renewal). It symbolizes the rebirth of nature, its transformation.