We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is La Primavera?

By Alan Rankin
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 8,839
Share

La Primavera is the title of a famous painting by Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli. It depicts an array of figures from Greek mythology. Many of these figures may have been modeled after Botticelli’s contemporaries or benefactors, a common practice at the time. The exact meaning of the 1482 painting has been the subject of ongoing debate among art scholars and critics. La Primavera is considered one of the masterpieces of Renaissance art.

Botticelli’s real name was Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi. He was raised in Florence, Italy, which was the starting point of the cultural and artistic revolution known as the Renaissance. Florence’s masterpieces included Masacchio’s Trinity Fresco, the first painting to employ perspective, which creates the illusion of depth on a flat surface. Botticelli apprenticed as a goldsmith before turning to painting. By the 1470s, he had established himself as an acclaimed painter of portraits and religious scenes.

Little is known for certain of the circumstances surrounding the painting of La Primavera. It was created for the Medici family, who were wealthy patrons, or supporters, of many Florentine sculptors and painters. Guiliano de Medici and his mistress Simonetta Vespucci are considered the likely models for the Greek gods Mercury and Venus in the painting. “Primavera” is the Italian word for “springtime.” According to some scholars, this suggests the painting may have been commissioned as a wedding or christening gift.

La Primavera is more than six feet (2 m) tall and 10 feet (3 m) wide, meaning the nine figures portrayed are roughly life-sized. The figures are believed to be Mercury, the Three Graces, Venus, Cupid, Flora, Chloris, and Zephyrus, arrayed in an orange grove. The painting seems to be inspired by a classic verse from the Roman poet Lucretius, which would have been familiar to Botticelli and his audience. The poem describes how Chloris, a nymph, was abducted by the wind god Zephyrus and transformed into Flora, the goddess of Spring. This idea of the painting's meaning is mostly conjecture, as no records survive to describe the intent of Botticelli or his patrons.

The highly detailed painting hung for years in an anteroom in the mansions of the art-rich Medicis. It was one of many masterpieces Botticelli created in the 1480s, including the celebrated Birth of Venus, which portrays the nude goddess standing on a giant clamshell. Botticelli’s style fell from favor soon after his death in 1510, and many of his paintings were forgotten or ignored outside his native Italy until the 19th century. At that time, a revival of interest in Renaissance art led to new appreciation of La Primavera. Since 1919, it has been on display in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-la-primavera.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.