SANDRO BOTTICELLI

Sandro Botticelli’s painting of “The Birth of Venus” portrays a notion of romanticism and defines the character of Venus to be of beauty and mystical power. The painting has always been a favourite of mine due to its soft, pastel aesthetic and romantic style the god, Venus is portrayed in. It is evident, after studying the work of Botticelli that he has a very particular style, especially within his colour scheme characteristics and this is an idea i want to elaborate upon within my own representation. The story behind the painting adapts upon a tale of how Venus was bought to the shore on the shell after her birth in the water. The painting is one of the most known Renaissance paintings and is currently shown in Florence, Italy – Botticelli’s place of Birth and main career. Due to the painting’s high presence in modern culture, I feel it is the best image to start my project with, especially to help me gain a lot more knowledge around the movement of the Renaissance and specifically through one of my most favorable artists.

After further research into the meanings behind the characters portrayed and the actual message of the painting, these two major details are what i will aim to focus my own work around. The posing of Venus is a factor that has really caught my attention, as her posture, in reality, is almost impossible with the style of balance and floatation. Reinacting her type of curved posture and romantic presence is an element i could consider for my own work. Additionally, the figure on the right of Venus known as The Hora of Spring is another factor i have become interested in. The pattern balance of both the throw she holds and her dress is a really striking element in the painting and to me, a key focus point so it should definitely be reinterpreted or at least considered.