Sandro Botticelli

1445-1510

He was the most elegant voice of the Florentine Golden Age, the darling of the Medici, and an icon rediscovered by the Pre-Raphaelites after centuries of neglect. Unlike da Vinci's obsession with science and 3D volume, Botticelli was the ultimate 'Master of Line'—the ancestor of the '2D' aesthetic. His figures are weightless, floating like stickers on a background; their necks and limbs often defy anatomy, yet they possess a breathtaking beauty. His life was torn between two extremes: the first half dedicated to the sensual beauty of pagan myths, and the second consumed by the fanatical monk Savonarola, leading him to burn his own paintings in the 'Bonfire of the Vanities' and die in fear and poverty.

#Florentine School #Master of Line #Proto-2D #Medici Courtier #Melancholy

Life & Milestones

Origin of 'Little Barrel': Lines from the Goldsmith

1445-1460

Born in Florence as Alessandro. Nicknamed 'Botticelli' (Little Barrel) after his chubby brother. He started as a goldsmith apprentice, which instilled a lifelong obsession with precise lines and metallic details. Later, he studied under Fra Filippo Lippi, mastering the art of painting melancholy Madonnas.

Joining the Medici: The Selfie in the Magi

1475

With 'Adoration of the Magi,' he infiltrated the inner circle of the Medici, Europe's richest family. He painted them as biblical figures and included a confident young man in yellow on the far right staring at the audience—his self-portrait. This secured his rapid rise.

Mythological Peak: Birth of Venus

1480s

His golden decade. Influenced by Neoplatonism, he created 'Primavera' and 'The Birth of Venus.' He boldly painted life-size female nudes (taboo in the Middle Ages), using poetic lines to create an otherworldly 'ideal beauty.'

The Savonarola Crisis: Bonfire of the Vanities

1490s

The fanatical friar Savonarola took over Florence, preaching that art and beauty were corrupt. Botticelli was deeply shaken. During the 'Bonfire of the Vanities,' he threw many of his own mythological paintings into the fire. His style shifted dramatically—becoming rigid, anxious, and religiously manic.

The Forgotten End

1510

With the rise of High Renaissance giants like da Vinci and Michelangelo, Botticelli's 'flat decorative style' was deemed outdated. He died poor and alone, remaining largely forgotten until the 19th century, when he was rediscovered as an aesthetic master.