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Primavera

Matthew Tibbetts

Created on November 18, 2024

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Transcript

Source Text: "She is fair-skinned, unblemished white, and white is her garment, though ornamented with roses, flowers, and grass; the ringlets of her golden hair descend on a forehead humbly proud. The whole forest smiles about her, and, as it may, lightens her cares; in her movement she is regally mild, her glance alone could quiet a tempest."Analysis: Botticelli's portrayal of Fora decked out in flowers and embodying natural beauty, is reminiscent of the work's emphasis on an idealized feminine character whose very existence draws in and charms the viewer. Flora's brilliant look is reflected in the thorough description of her golden hair and a white robe decorated with flowers. Overall, her depiction is accurate to her description in the source text.

Source Text: "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; his left hand is touched by the point of fiery gold, his right breast by the string: the arrow does not begin to hiss through the air before Julio has felt it inside his heart." Analysis: Poliziano's "Stanze di messer Angelo Politiano cominciate per la giostra del magnifico Giuliano di Pietro de' Medici" describes Julio as having been shot with Cupid's arrow through his heart. Botticelli chose a less violent approach, by not having Mercury shot or even aimed at. This could potentially be related to Mercury's background, as he is known as the god of communication. His role in the painting is more of a mediator who stays away from the romance of the scene and instead oversees the garden. Instead of having him participate in the romantic or sensual dynamics, Botticelli emphasizes Mercury's role as a caretaker.

Source Text: "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; his left hand is touched by the point of fiery gold, his right breast by the string: the arrow does not begin to hiss through the air before Julio has felt it inside his heart." Analysis: Botticelli depicts Cupid hovering above Venus, blindfolded and drawing his bow, symbolizing love's unpredictable and indiscriminate nature. Unlike the text, where Cupid's fiery arrow directly strikes Julio, leading to immediate emotional turmoil, the painting does not depict Cupid actively engaging with a specific figure. While his exact target is ambiguous, the composition suggests he may be aiming at one of the Three Graces, possibly the central Grace, who glances toward Mercury, adding subtle narrative intrigue. This is most likely done by Botticelli to emphasize love's universal and unpredictable nature.

Source Text: "From her eyes there flashes a honeyed calm in which Cupid hides his torch; wherever she turns those amorous eyes, the air about her becomes serene. Her face, sweetly painted with privet and roses, is filled with heavenly joy; every breeze is hushed before her divine speech, and every little bird sings out in its own language." Analysis: Venus is displayed somewhat accurately by Botticelli, but not entirely. The source text describes Venus as having immense beauty which is emphasized by her centering in the painting and the amount of detail used to depict her. However, the source text describes Venus' face as being filled with heavenly joy. Botticelli depicts Venus with a more neutral facial expression. In Renaissance art, poise and self-control were considered qualities of virtue and beauty. Venus's neutral expression emphasizes her status as a model of elegance and perfection, unfazed by what's going on around her.

Overall, Botticelli's Primavera is mostly accurate to Poliziano's "Stanze di messer Angelo Politiano cominciate per la giostra del magnifico Giuliano di Pietro de' Medici." Botticelli used a good balance of staying true to the text while also adding his own ideas to his depiction of the scene. For example, his depiction of Flora is entirely accurate to that of the text, perfectly depicting her floral dress and overall beauty. However, Botticelli chose to add his own flare and ideas to some aspects of the painting. This can be seen in different parts of the painting such as his depiction of Cupid and Julio (Mercury). Botticelli strayed from the original text to emphasize the personality of each character with Julio (Mercury) being unharmed and uninterested to help highlight his role as a mediator and disinterest in the chaos surrounding him. Cupid is also shown differently than described in the text, wearing a blindfold and having no clear target as opposed to it being Julio, as described in the text. This emphasizes the unpredictability of love. Botticelli changes aspects of some characters less than others, keeping their original depiction from the text mostly accurate to his depiction of them. For example, in his depiction of both Venus and the Three Graces, he adds his own small details such as Venus' facial expression and the actions of the Three Graces, but keeps their overall image mostly accurate to how it is described in the source text. Most of his added details aligned with the ideology of the time, making it easy for the viewer to resonate with the painting. Overall, Botticelli depicts the scene in such a way that the viewer knows what's going on but can still interpret some things on their own.

Summary

Source Text: "Beside her goes humble, gentle Chastity, who turns the key to every locked heart; with her goes Nobility with kindly appearance and imitates her sweet graceful step. No base soul can regard her face without first representing of its faults; Love captures, wounds, and kills all those hearts with whom she sweetly speaks or sweetly laughs." Analysis: The Graces in Primavera resemble the virtues and ideals described in the text, embodying chastity, nobility, and beauty, with their elegant, harmonious gestures aligning with the text’s focus on grace and sweet virtues. However, while the Graces in Botticelli’s painting are depicted in a subtle, introspective dance that emphasizes unity and balance, the text portrays these virtues as more active, directly influencing and transforming those around them an aspect less evident in Primavera.