Ep. 57: The Birth of Venus and the Court of Pan

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The Court of Lorenzo de' Medici Part 3: Large-Scale Mythological Painting

The 1480's in Florence was an age of relative prosperity under Lorenzo the Magnificent. During this period, the visual arts began to take a new shape. Influenced by both classical and contemporary literature and poetry, Lorenzo's court saw the introduction to large-scale mythological painting, ushered in by the famed Sandro Botticelli.

This episode looks closely at the formation of Botticelli's Birth of Venus, as well as the subsequent Court of Pan by Luca Signorelli in 1490. We discuss the cultural and political circumstances around the development of this new genre of painting, as well as a host of patrons, including the Vespucci family and Lorenzo il Popolano de' Medici. A close look at these works alongside scholarly research reveals a tension between representation and actual cultural attitudes, especially around differentiating between philosophical representation and lived, sensual realities.

Works Discussed:

Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus, ca. 1485 https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/birth-of-venus

Sandro Botticelli, Venus and Mars, ca. 1485 https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/sandro-botticelli-venus-and-mars

Luca Signorelli, The Court of Pan, ca. 1490 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Education_of_Pan

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Youtube Videos mentioned for extra information:

Piero di Cosimo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R99_lpzeLzQ&list=PLUejELZ-zvuCN0XSgU-4JoV4ezeU6MBLb&index=4

Luca Signorelli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE3MC80SvHU&list=PLUejELZ-zvuCN0XSgU-4JoV4ezeU6MBLb

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