"Birth of Venus" is the secret language of the famous canvas
Enumerating the famous paintings of artists of the Renaissance, one cannot forget about Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510). Many wonderful creations came out from under his brush, but the real masterpiece was the work where the artist dared to depict the female body as a shrine, turning the pagan goddess into a God-given revelation of love and beauty. This canvas will be discussed in our yantar.ua article! "The Birth of Venus" by Sandro Botticelli - history and meaning
The 1480s were a very important period in the artist's life - together with D. Ghirlandaio, C. Rosselli and P. Perugino, he painted the Sistine Chapel, and also created a cycle of exalted faces of the Virgin Mary. In addition, it was then that the master was influenced by the ideas of the Florentine circle of defaulters who tried to generalize ancient and Christian morality.
In particular, Marsilio Ficino - the head of this society - claimed that earthly beauty, both physical and spiritual, serves as the embodiment of the incomprehensible Creator. Therefore, any creature existing in this world gives people the opportunity to see the light, to be cleansed of wrong inclinations and to be imbued with God's grace. And above all, the philosopher placed the Roman goddess of love, calling her "the nymph of Humanity, born from heaven." These words inspired the Florentine painter to write a masterpiece.
Botticelli's painting "The Birth of Venus" was the first attempt to combine the ancient myth and the biblical account of the baptism of Jesus Christ. The phenomenon of the goddess is associated with the rebirth of the soul, when it emerges from the waters of the baptismal font. The strict asceticism of medieval Christianity is here replaced by the omnipotence of Eros, and female nudity, instead of a reminder of original sin, represents sincerity and purity.
What does Botticelli's "Venus" symbolize?
The Renaissance is a time when allegories and hidden meanings were actively used in world art, turning the canvas into a real cipher. Almost all paintings of women by famous artists are filled with them, but Sandro Botticelli surpassed his contemporaries here! Here's what the different elements of the image mean:
- Venus. According to legend, she was born from drops of blood of the ancient ruler of heaven and earth - Uranus, who was castrated by his son Kronos. The model for the goddess was the muse of the famous painter - Simonetta Vespucci, who at that time was considered the first beauty of the city;
- Zephyr is the deity of the spring (west) wind. According to the myth, his breath carried the shell with Venus, which had just been born, to the island of Crete, where it first set foot on land;
- Flora (Chlorida) is the goddess of plants and the wife of Zephyrus. Their marriage embodies the inseparable unity of carnal passion and spiritual love;
- Ora Tallo (Kvitucha) is the daughter of Zeus and Themis, one of the magical creatures who controlled the change of seasons and natural balance. As the patroness of spring bloom, she was one of Venus's friends - that's why she gives her clothes;
- shell - the personification of the feminine principle, and also - the sea, from which all living things came;
- purple mantle - the embodiment of power and authority;
- the rose symbolizes all-conquering and royal love, and the thorns of the flower remind of the experiences that this feeling sometimes causes;
- myrtle is a plant belonging to Venus (in Ovid's story, she covered her nakedness with it when she was on earth). A sign of fertility and abundance;
- cornflower is another emblem of fertility, as it blooms among ripe wheat;
- daisy - personification of purity, gentleness, innocence. She was painted by many famous artists, and their paintings are dedicated, as a rule, to the Mother of God;
- ivy - the embodiment of loyalty, devotion, affection;
- reed is a symbol of modesty. With its help, the artist demonstrates that true beauty is always shy and unpretentious;
- anemone - a reminder of unrequited, tragic love;
- an evergreen orange tree is a sign of hope for salvation and eternal life
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