Genially 2 - Soyeon Cheong

"Quickly, Cupid, hidden in those beautiful eyes, adjusts the notch of his arrow to his bowstring, then he draws back with his powerful arm so that the two ends of his bow meet"As this source text reference, there is Cupid's figure in this painting. He is drawing back his arrow, in very dynamic form. But, the fiery gold substance touched by his left hand is not certainly defined. Also, we can see that Boticelli interpreted and depicted the phrase 'hidden in those beautiful eyes' by covering Cupid's eyes with a white garment. This depiction gives a more mysterious atmosphere to the whole painting.

Flora is wearing a dress, sophisticatedly designed with flowers, grass, and gold threads. This refers to the source text, "and white is her garment, though ornamented with roses, flowers, and grass". Also following the text "ringlets of her golden hair", she is depicted as having blonde and curly hair. For the parts that describe her facial expression, she has a slight smile with generous eyes, but I can feel the sublime image of the concept of goddess as well. I think it is the room that Botticelli interpreted by himself, and he tried to put a more respectful feeling into this figure. Giving more power to her existence in this painting.

The source text from <De Rerum Nature> by Lucretius: "Spring-time and Venus come,/ And Venus' boy, the winged harbinger, steps on before,/ And hard on Zephyr's foot-prints Mother Flora,/ Sprinkling the ways before them, filleth all/ With colours and with odours excellent."Botticelli is refering this text into Flora. Flora's posture looks like she is scattering the flower on the ground. Based on the way that Botticelli depicted the nymph Chloris as the former Flora, the whole content written in the source text is presented in this canvas.

Ah, what a change came over him! Ah, how the fire rushed all through the young man's marrow! What a trembling shook the heart within his breast! He was soaked with an icy sweat; made avid for her sweet face, not once can he remove his eyes from hers; utterly captured by their charming splendor, the wretch does not perceive that therein is Love.This source text contains an intense feeling of Zephyr. I think the "Icy sweat" part is very well depicted in this painting. This text matches with Zephyr's origin, the god of the wind. Also, Botticelli depicted him in a way that is very different from other figures. His blue skin shows that he is a transcendent existence. Also, his eye is directly looking at Chloris, which also relates with the strong love explained in the source text.

She would resemble Thalia if she took lyre in hand, Minerva, if she held a spear; if she had a bow in hand and quiver at her side, you would swear she was chaste Diana. Anger, grieving, withdraws from before her countenance, Pride avails little in her presence; every sweet virtue is in her company, Beauty and Grace point her out.The way source text explains the three women is similar to the three Graces. The goddess who is showing her back fell in love with Hermes because of Cupid's arrow. The three Graces are not holding the lyre, spear, and quiver. This is the difference from the source text and this painting. However, the fact that they are all considered as the figure that deals with ultimate beauty, they are on the same chapter.