Sandro Botticelli
Born in 1445 in Florence, Italy, Sandro Botticelli apprenticed as a goldsmith before studying with Fra Filippo Lippi. He is known for a distinctive style that incorporated Neo-Platonism, as well as a great attention to decorative details. His paintings frequently had an air of sadness about them and featured a sad young girl who appeared detached from her surroundings or addressed the roles of men and women in society. At times, he would show women as the more important and dominant figure.
He opened his first workshop at the age of 15. He was commissioned by the Medici family, prominent members of Florence’s society, which assisted him in gaining fame, contacts, and money. It is believed that because of his work with the Medici family, he was asked to travel to Rome to work on parts of the Sistine Chapel in 1481. His contributions included three large pieces and seven papal portraits.
As he grew older, he became a follower of Savonarola, a prominent civil leader and monk, who deemed many of Botticelli’s paintings ungodly and burned them. When Savonarola was killed, he began painting with a tendency toward religious symbolism that told stories. He passed away in 1510.
Some of his most famous works include St. Sebastian (1447), St. Augustine (1480), and Birth of Venus (1486).
