Chapter 1
The goldsmith's apprentice who found his color
Chapter 2
The Medici court and the pagan rebirth
Chapter 3
Rivalries and the battle of Florentine styles
Chapter 4
The bonfire of his own vanities
YOUR GOAL
Master of How Botticelli painted the soul of Florence
Ch 2 · The Medici court and the pagan rebirth
andy The Medici Pagan Rebirth
Five hundred flowers, five hundred flowers, Pagan spring has magical powers!
andy A goddess blows ashore on a giant scallop shell in The Birth of Venus, introducing an unusual non-religious
andy Mythological figures and lush orange trees fill Botticelli's masterfully glazed Renaissance painting.
Fun Fact
Canvas pioneer: 'The Birth of Venus' was painted on canvas, which was cheaper and less common than wood panels at the time.
Glossary
neoplatonism (noun)
A school of philosophy founded in the third century that seeks to reconcile classical Greek thought with spiritual mysticism. Marsilio Ficino championed this philosophy within the Medici circle, directly inspiring Botticelli’s mythological masterpieces.
A school of philosophy founded in the third century that seeks to reconcile classical Greek thought with spiritual mysticism. Marsilio Ficino championed this philosophy within the Medici circle, directly inspiring Botticelli’s mythological masterpieces.
Quiz
What philosophy did the Medici court promote that blended pagan myths with Christianity?