Botticelli and mythology

: Explained by his paintings

James Park

The Renaissance
Charles Raymond
December 17,2014

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Sandro Botticelli was an important Florentine painter in the fifteenth century,

who created a large number of paintings for the Medici family. The Medici family
was known as a supporter of humanism, and they worked with many artists. Botticelli
was one of them. Some Medici leaders followed an idealization of Platonism, which
inspired the patronage of the arts even further. Within this Medici familys tendency,
Botticelli was directly related to Medici familys humanist idea. Today, he is best
known for his paintings Birth of Venus and Primavera, painted in the 1480s for use in
private Medici homes, which clearly show his mythological interpretations in his
painting. In that period, the impact of Greek and Roman pagan imagery could
potentially conflict with church or religious standards. In fact, it was the 1490s that
saw the rise of Savonarola in Florence, directly threatening any art that departed from
traditional Christian imagery, or used pagan mythological themes. However, there
was also a possibility that these themes would be welcomed and seen as not
conflicting with Christian values. When Botticelli started painting he started with
religious art. Then he moved on to mythological themes over time. But he did not
neglect religious theme. Instead, he picked up mythological ideas and combined into
his religious ideas. When classical myth was interpreted as allegories of Christian
ideas, mythology needed a strong analogy of its idea to support and fuse with
Christian faith.1 One branch of humanist thinking called Neo-Platonism provided
1 H.W. Janson& Anthony F.Janson, History of art for Young People, 293

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philosophical support for these ideas. Marsilio Ficino is one of the best-known
Neoplatonic philosophers. His ideas were derived from the works of Plato, and he
believed that the life of the universe, including human life, was linked to God by a
spiritual circuit continuously ascending and descending. This caused him to accept
and appreciate any form of Bible, Plato, or classical myths.2 One way to read
Botticellis mythological paintings is to see them as an expression of Neo-Platonism.
Which encompassed the overall idea of the Renaissance.

Birth of Venus3

2 H.W. Janson& Anthony F.Janson, History of art for Young People, 293
3 Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (1486)

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The famous painting, which shows Botticellis idea of Neo-Platonism, Birth of

Venus was drawn 1486 in Florence. Commissioned by the Medici and their circle
were the first Renaissance paintings in which scenes from classical ancient mythology
were represented on the large scale previously reserved for religious subjects. 4 This
painting contains a situation in the ocean, where the flying Zeypher and Chloris blow
the nude Venus in a giant seashell. This painting is showing a lively scene in which
she makes landfall in a bay with an orange grove, as roses are falling down around
her. A young woman is waiting for Venus with her cloth with a welcoming gesture.
Botticelli drew this painting with his inspiration from a variety of sources including a
poem by his contemporary Angelo Poliziano, which describes the birth of Venus, and
from an Ancient Greek hymn to Aphrodite ( the greek name for Venus) 5
The main figure in this painting, Venus, is depicted as a female nude on a dry
land coming from sea. Nudity of an ancient goddess of love was new to European
painting when it was drawn. And this painting is clearly a showing mythological
figure, Venus, instead of the figures that had often been depicted nude, Adman and
Eve. However the painting could also be seen as a Christian value. Because, in
Christian interpretation this could be seen as the Adam and Eve story due to a
personification of the Christian Church. In neoplatonic interpretations, Venus is an
ambivalent figure to focus on in this painting. She is a god of love mainly focused on
inspiring humans, celebrating physical love. But it could be a different twist, because
she also symbolizes the god of love who inspires humans from intellectual love.
4 Stefano Zuffi, How to read Italian Renaissance Painting, 132
5 trick De Rynck, how to read a painting: Lessons from the old masters, 86

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Platos idea of physical beauty is to enable the human mind to understand spiritual
beauty. In this way, The Birth of Venus could be interpreted as presenting an idea that
a neoplatonic philosopher, Marsilio Ficino believed. A spiritual love, but he neither
condemned sexuality nor physical love. He believed that spiritual love was as
important as physical love. Within this meaning, this was also hypothesized as a
wedding gift for Medici family. By gifting a painting that celebrates spiritual love, we
can see the Medicis wish of the marriage. The Medici wanted the couple to have a
spiritual bond upon the marriage.

Marsilio ficino was the most important Neo-Platonic philosopher, who is

foremost representative. And he also worked for the Medici. His idea was influential
on Artists who worked for The Medici. His idea was mainly derived from Platos. The
concept of believing that that the life of the universe, including human life, was linked
to God by a spiritual circuit continuously ascending and descending. 6 This basically
became a frame of a Neo-Platonism. As his beliefs in Platos idea, he proclaimed that
beauty, love, and beatitude, being phase of this same circuit, were one. 7 Ficinos
concept of this argument and together with painters symbolic images ancient
mythology and Christian faith could fuse.

6 H.W. Janson, History of art, 411

7 Janson,411

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La Primavera8

The painting has been interpreted as an allegory of Neo-Platonism. La

Primavera was drawn 1482 in Florence. The Medici family commissioned it when
Botticelli gained his reputation as a painter. This painting looks like they are
performing the slowest of dances in a garden filled with flowers, touching the ground
with only the tips of their toes and breathing a spirit of serenity in the midst of nature
in all her majesty.9 The Three graces are common ancient mythological figure
showing the human body in three angles at the same time. Another figure Zeypher the
god of the wind, blows wind violently that the trees are bent by the sheer force of it
and dorm one half of a rib vault.10 The significance of the primavera derives from a
learned program, prepared by Fichino as the spiritual adviser of his young Medici
8 Sandro Botticelli, La Primavera (1482)
9 Francoise Barbe,Gall, how to look at a painting. 67
10 Gall,67

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patron. Ficino directs the youths attention to the heavens and what they signify, in
this case Mercury as Reason, and Venus as Humanity, that is the learning we now call
the humanities. By Humanitas, Ficino suggests that twelve virtues ( love, charity ,
dignity, magnanimity, liberality, magnificence, comeliness, modesty, temperance,
Honesty, charm, and Splendor)11Although many analyses of this painting have been
advanced, scholars have not been able to agree upon a single interpretation due to its
vagueness, perhaps because Botticelli is not presenting a specific mythological tale. 12
In many guesses, it is often hypothesized that this work was painted to celebrate the
wedding of Lorenzo Medici, in 1482. The theme of this painting is set in the garden
of Venus, the Goddess of Love. The others, Three Graces, are wearing gowns and
jewels in the colors symbolizing the Medici family. Mercury is the winged messenger
of the gods. Him wearing sword could identify him as a guard. And at the left of
Mercury, in a pose reminiscent of golden balls symbolic of the Medici family. In
Christian values, scholars often argue that the Venus in this painting is also
symbolizing Virgin Mary. For the way of the Venus depicted in this painting was
corresponding to Virgin Mary, especially her position in the center and the
background. This similar depiction shows the relationship of these different two
characters. Botticelli drew the Venus in his painting not the Virgin Mary, but at the
same time he have shown chastity in Venus by relating with Virgin Mary. This
depiction makes the purity of Venus visible. The innocence not sullied by
physical love but dignify with her spiritual love. As with the Birth of Venus, this
11 larry silver, art in history 175-176
12 Patrick De Rynck, how to read a painting: Lessons from the old masters,

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depiction also celebrates spiritual love that reflects the Medicis idea, and shows
their intension in wedding.

Venus and Mars13

Another allegorical painting Venus and Mars was drawn 1483 in Florence.
This painting shows Roman gods Venus and Mars, a god of love and a god of war,
and four little satyrs. By overview of this painting Venus looks steadier compared
to Mars. As the appearance of the clothing Venus is more clothed than Mars. And her
pose is more straight up, which makes Venus looks more elegant and noble. This
painting has forest setting and playful satyrs surround Venus and Mars. Four satyrs
are disarming Mars. By contrasting couple, dignified Venus and disarmed Mars
comes to a meaning that love conquers a war. Mar, the god of war is leaning down to
sleep after making love. Sleep was important in renaissance, because it was viewed as
13 Sandro Botticelli, Venus and Mars (1483)

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a power to predict and a prophetic nature of dreams. Sleep was moreover associated
with love seen as a spiritual journey of ascension from physical desire to spiritual
contemplation and ecstatic connection to heaven initiated by the sight of beauty. The
possibility of communion was premised on the lovers ability to overcome his
physical desire and direct his attention toward the higher forms of love and beauty
present in his beloved.14 The Neoplatonism also promoted this idea, Ficino viewed
sleep as a state in which the soul is free from the constraints of the body and can
therefore communicate with the divine15 As the painting The birth of Venus, this
painting could have interpretation of physical love. But this painting has a profound
meaning in spiritual love that overcomes physical love. This was also assumed
as a wedding gift for Medici. This not only has the meaning that encourages
spiritual love upon couples but also contains a meaning that a woman in a
couple should be steady to manage the family.

Botticellis Interpretations of figures were strong. He was known for not only
his intriguing ways of showing his thoughts in ancient mythology but also interpreting
the Christian values. His experience in religious paintings richened the value of
Botticellis mythological paintings. The intension of Neo-Platonism was to
introduce the meaning of their mythology. Instead making their own imaginary,
they fused together. Just as what Neo Platonists were wanting for. As a neo14 Ruvoldt, M. 2004. The Italian Renaissance Imagery of Inspiration. Methapors of sex, sleep and dreams
(Cambridge, Cambridge University Press)
15 Ruvoldt

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platonic precursor Botticelli made great works representing and settle the theme
of Neo Platonism. His thoughts in painting are excellent reflection in that period.

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Bibliography

Botticelli Sandro, The Birth of Venus,1486.

Botticelli Sandro, La Primavera, 1482.
Botticelli Sandro, Venus and Mars, 1483.
Gall, Franc, and Stewart Spencer. How to Look at a Painting. London: Frances
Lincoln, 2010.
Janson, H. W., and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art for Young People. 5th ed.
New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1997.
Ruvoldt, Maria. The Italian Renaissance Imagery of Inspiration: Metaphors of
Sex, Sleep, and Dreams. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press,
2004.
Rynck, Patrick De. How to Read a Painting Lessons from the Old Masters. New
York: H.N. Abrams, 2004.
Silver, Larry. Art in History. New York, N.Y.: Abbeville Press, 1993.
Zuffi, Stefano. How to Read Italian Renaissance Painting. New York: Abrams,
2010.