Primavera (final) Flashcards
(16 cards)
ARTIST
BOTTOCELLI
date
between 1477 and 1482.
What is the medium of La Primavera?
La Primavera is painted in tempera on panel.
subject matter
The painting features figures from classical mythology in a garden setting. The characters include Zephyr, Chloris, Flora, Venus, Mercury, and the Three Graces, which draw from various mythological and literary sources, particularly Ovid’s Fasti and Lucretius’s De Rerum Natura.
LITERARY SOURCES
Ovid’s Fasti and Lucretius’s De Rerum Natura.
Patron
La Primavera is thought to have been created for the wedding of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici and Semiramide Appiani.
Why is La Primavera often associated with a wedding or marriage?
La Primavera is thought to have been created for the wedding of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici and Semiramide Appiani.
The painting’s themes of love, fertility, and the Three Graces (representing ideal wifely virtues) all contribute to the connection to marriage.
How does the composition of La Primavera contribute to its themes?
The figures are arranged in a frieze-like style, with some figures interacting directly (such as Zephyr and Chloris), while others are more passive or distant (like Venus).
This structure reinforces the balance and harmony of the themes of fertility, love, and marriage. The flow of the composition from right to left reflects the transition from spring’s arrival to the blossoming of nature and life.
ho are the main figures in La Primavera and what do they represent?
Zephyr: The god of wind, depicted chasing Chloris, a nymph whom he transforms into Flora, the goddess of flowers.
Venus: The central figure representing beauty and fertility, associated with love and marriage.
The Three Graces: Symbolize Chastity, Beauty, and Love, ideal qualities for a wife in Renaissance society.
Mercury: The god of communication and transition, clearing the clouds to indicate new beginnings and the arrival of spring.
what is the interaction between the figures like
The interactions between the figures are enigmatic.
Zephyr and Chloris are looking at each other.
Flora and Venus look out at the viewer,
the Cupid is blindfolded,
and Mercury has turned his back on the others, and looks up at the clouds.
The central Grace looks towards him, while the other two seem to look at each other. Flora’s smile was very unusual in painting at this date.
hat is the symbolic significance of Venus in La Primavera?
Venus symbolizes love, beauty, and fertility, and is often considered the protector of marriage and sexual desire
In La Primavera, she represents the fertility and harmonious balance that come with the arrival of spring, while her central position in the composition emphasizes her importance.
hat is the significance of the Three Graces in La Primavera?
The Three Graces represent Chastity, Beauty, and Love, which were ideal attributes of a woman in the context of Renaissance marriage.
They are depicted as engaging in a graceful dance, which reinforces the themes of unity and harmony in relationships.
Dance allows us to see different angles of body anatomy
How does the painting’s setting contribute to its meaning?
The setting is a garden that symbolizes fertility and the coming of spring. It is filled with myrtle and orange trees, both associated with Venus and fertility.
The garden setting creates a connection between nature’s cycles and human fertility, reinforcing the painting’s themes of marriage, love, and the renewal of life.
hat do the flowers in La Primavera symbolize?
The flowers in the painting are symbols of fertility, beauty, and the cyclical nature of life. Many of the flowers are likely intended to symbolize sexuality and marriage, while some also refer to the Medici family, as the orange trees were an emblem of their house.
they stand out against the dark background
500 Flowers 150 different species
What is the meaning behind the transformation of Chloris into Flora?
The transformation of Chloris into Flora symbolizes the renewal of life and the abundance of nature that comes with spring. Chloris’s kidnapping and forced transformation by Zephyr reflect themes of fertility and the sexualization of women, while Flora, as the goddess of flowers, represents the positive aspects of this change.
