A chance discovery provided the author with the key to unlocking
the centuries old enigma of Botticelli's Primavera, a masterpiece
painted for the private viewing of a Medici. Its pagan figures in a
paradisical spring meadow illuminated the cryptic world of the
Renaissance pagan revival. Botticelli's allegory emerged to address
its personal message to a young Medici. Botticelli's cleverly
disguised message for Lorenzo Minore, is to be found on the right
side of La Primavera, where Chloris draws Zephyr's attention to it.
This book is extremely well researched and beautifully produced
with eighty color plates. Lane-Spollen clearly explains the fusion
of Christian and pagan imagery which is reflected in La Primavera,
placing it in the wider context of Italy's religion and politics.
The author employs a readable style which will make this book
suitable for those familiar with this period looking for more
detail about a beloved painting, and those who are new to the
Renaissance and Art History. Lane-Spollen gives a clear overview of
why and how Botticelli conveyed his message in disguise. An
esteemed circle of scholars around the Medici, disillusioned with a
worldly and corrupted medieval Church, searched for a purer,
unadulterated Christianity in the pre-Christian foundations of
their faith. This was a sensitive occupation in a society where the
reach of the Church was present in all matters public and private.
In 1460 a manuscript was brought to Cosimo de'Medici. Its author,
Hermes, was revered by Augustine and the early Church Fathers. Its
revelations on the true nature of Man held the evidence they were
seeking and stood in stark contrast to the medieval Church view in
which the lowly humble sinner must throw himself on the mercy of
the Church for his redemption. The Hermetic corpus which so
inspired the Medici circle, saw Man as unique among all species, of
unlimited potential and possessing a 'spark of the Divine'. As
Burckhardt noted, "it became the breath of life for all the most
instructed minds of Europe". For medieval man, it heralded his
rebirth, his Renaissance. Expressing this newly discovered
'God-like' being in art stimulated the creative imagination of
Renaissance artists like Botticelli, Leonardo, and Raffaello.
Lane-Spollen gives a clear overview of why and how Botticelli
conveyed his message in code: An esteemed circle of scholars around
the Medici, disillusioned with a worldly and corrupted medieval
Church, searched for a purer, unadulterated Christianity in the
pre-Christian foundations of their faith. This was a dangerous
occupation in a society where the reach of the Church was present
in all matters public and private. In 1460 a manuscript was brought
to Cosimo de'Medici. Its author, Hermes, was revered by Augustine
and the early Church Fathers. Its revelations on the true nature of
Man held the evidence they were seeking and stood in stark contrast
to the teachings of the medieval church and had no place for man as
a lowly humble sinner who must throw himself on the mercy of the
Church. Neoplatonism and the Hermetic corpus which so inspired the
Medici circle, saw Man as unique among all species and possessing a
'spark of the divine'.Though heretical and blasphemous in the
extreme, this philosophy had a profound effect and spread rapidly.
As Burckhardt noted, 'it became the breath of life for all the most
instructed minds of Europe'. Convinced by its impeccable
provenance, the Medici circle of philosophers and poets strived to
merge the three great but competing religions, Judaism, Islam and
Christianity, into a single religion in harmony with their original
pre-Christian foundations. Expressing this newly discovered
'God-like' being in art stimulated the creative imagination of the
early Renaissance as artists like Botticelli, Leonardo,
Michaelangelo and Raphaello strove to express 'divine' Man's
dignity, his innate capability and the profound depths of his
potential for greatness.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
