Name: Anna Galstyan N.

The birth of Venus

There are so many things hidden behind that painting

The Birth of Venus was painted by Sandro Botticelli in Florence around 1485, and mentioned
for the first time by Vasari in 1550, according to which it was located in the Medici Villa of
Castello. So most likely the painting was commissioned by one of the Medici of Lorenzo the
Magnificent’s generation, but we don’t know exactly which member of the family. It could be
Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco, cousin of Lorenzo the Magnificent.

According to the Greek myth Venus (which the Greeks would have called Aphrodite) was born
from the foam of the sea, when Uranus, the god of the sky, was castrated and his genitals were
thrown into the sea. After being born from the waters, Venus reached the Greek island of
Cyprus. In addition to Venus, Botticelli represented other characters. On the left are Zephyr,
aka the Wind, and a female figure who could be Aura (the breeze) or Chloris (the Earth nymph).
On her right there’s another lady who is probably the Hora of spring. The Horai were 4 female
figures who presided over the changing of the seasons.

The religious meaning of the Birth of Venus

The Birth of Venus is a highly symbolic work of art, and with many levels of interpretation. In
addition to telling the Greek myth of the birth of the goddess, the painting also symbolizes the
baptism: just as Venus is born from the waters, in the same way a Christian is reborn thanks to
the waters of baptism.

The meaning of the shell

Venus stands on a large scallop shell, as if she was a perfect, beautiful pearl. But the shell, since
the times of ancient Greece, has also been a symbol for female genitals, and it brings to mind the
idea of birth. Over time, the shell has also become one of the symbols of the Virgin Mary.

The nudity of Venus by Botticelli

Venus is naked not to be hotter, but because she is pure and innocent, she has nothing to hide.
Naked bodies were not so common in Renaissance painting, and the only occasion on which
they were depicted were scenes with Adam and Eve. The nakedness of Venus was therefore
something unusual and never seen before.
Venus’ body proportions are wrong

There’s an important thing to know: Venus is beautiful but not perfect. If you look closely you
will notice that her body has different proportions from those of real women. For example, her
neck is too long, as is the arm holding her hair, while her shoulders are too narrow.

Plants, flowers and symbols

The painting is full of plants and flowers, and each botanical species has a precise symbolic
meaning. For example, there is the myrtle, which is the plant generally associated with Venus.
And then there are the primroses, the quintessential spring flower and a symbol of youth. We
also find violets, a symbol of modesty and once used to prepare love potions. And then
cornflowers, irises, jasmines, poppies
 Michelangelo

Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475, in Caprese, Italy, the second of five sons. When
Michelangelo was born, his father, Leonardo di Buonarrota Simoni, was briefly serving as a
magistrate in the small village of Caprese. The family returned to Florence when Michelangelo
was still an infant.

His mother, Francesca Neri, was ill, so Michelangelo was placed with a family of stonecutters,
where he later jested, "With my wet-nurse's milk, I sucked in the hammer and chisels I use for
my statues." His mother, Francesca Neri, was ill, so Michelangelo was placed with a family of
stonecutters, where he later jested, "With my wet-nurse's milk, I sucked in the hammer and
chisels I use for my statues." Indeed, Michelangelo was less interested in schooling than
watching the painters at nearby churches and drawing what he saw. From 1489 to 1492,
Michelangelo studied classical sculpture in the palace gardens of Florentine ruler Lorenzo de'
Medici of the powerful Medici family. This extraordinary opportunity opened to him after
spending only a year at Ghirlandaio’s workshop, at his mentor’s recommendation. Though
Michelangelo's brilliant mind and copious talents earned him the regard and patronage of the
wealthy and powerful men of Italy, he had his share of detractors.

He sometimes fell into spells of melancholy, which were recorded in many of his literary works:
"I am here in great distress and with great physical strain, and have no friends of any kind, nor
do I want them; and I do not have enough time to eat as much as I need; my joy and my
sorrow/my repose are these discomforts," he once wrote.In his youth, Michelangelo had taunted
a fellow student, and received a blow on the nose that disfigured him for life. Over the years, he
suffered increasing infirmities from the rigors of his work; in one of his poems, he documented
the tremendous physical strain that he endured by painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Political strife in his beloved Florence also gnawed at him, but his most notable enmity was with
fellow Florentine artist Leonardo da Vinci, who was more than 20 years his senior.