Product Description
Reproductions of the works of the Italian Renaissance painter are accompanied examinations of his style and techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

incomparable beauty
First published by Rizzoli Editore in '67, and translated in '70, this soft cover Penguin edition is from '85, and printed in Italy with 62 plates of such beauty and spiritual depth that just glancing through this book brings me a peace of soul and mental quietude.
The text is informative but tersely written and doesn't take up much space. There is a mini bio of Botticelli, a 3 page introduction, and little more than 3 pages of "An outline of the artist's critical history", with quotes dating back to c.1485 through 1965.

The large dimensions of the book allows for a special treat: details in the actual size, as in plate VI, a detail from "The Adoration of the Magi" that is extraordinarily lovely and gentle, and the final plate, of two angels embracing from "The Mystical Nativity" is perfection in it's simplicity and mastery of line.
On page 85, you get "The Works". It includes and outline biography, and a complete catalogue of works, with dimensions, and symbol indicators for technique, support, whereabouts, etc. Each piece has a b&w photo (3 x 2 or larger) of the picture and it's full history.
One of my two favorite works of art on this earth (the other being Rublev's "Trinity"), is the Botticelli's portrait of Giuliano de' Medici that hangs in the Staatliche Museen in Berlin. There are four versions of this portrait, including a gorgeous one from a private collection shown here I had not seen before...and each piece is compared as to age and execution.

On page 113, are "Botticelli's other artistic activities", which include small reproductions of exquisite drawings, among them illustrations of Dante's "Inferno". On the last two pages are door panels, inlay figures, and an embroidered cope cover.
One of the most unique visionaries in the history of art, Botticelli's magnificent, tranquil masterpieces are well showcased in this wonderful volume. ... Read more

Product Description
The celebrated allegorical paintings "La Primavera" and "The Birth of Venus" were the source of Botticelli's rediscovery in both the 16th and 19th centuries, and are still regarded as apogees of Florentine Renaissance painting. In this volume, the author closely examines these and other paintings of mythological content by the artist. He retells the stories of classical antiquity from which so many of Botticelli's motifs derive, equipping the reader with tools to better appreciate the narrative quality of the artist's work. Descriptions of Botticelli's artistic virtuosity and explanations as to the important role the artist played in Renaissance painting are accompanied by reproductions. In "Etruscan Spring", the vicissitudes of Botticelli's patron's lives are examined, especially in connection with the intrinsic meanings of the paintings they commissioned from the artist. The author delves into myths and mythological motifs, explores the the theory of "La Primavera" as a wedding portrait, and dwells on the intrigue of masculine desire and female dominance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

interesting book
It is one of the nicest surprises in terms of Botticelli scholarship. The author (an illustrious Leonardo scholar) is trying to interpret a number of paintings on which there is already quite a lot of bibliography, and does a pretty good job. My only complaint is the fact that sometimes I wish he would deepen and extend his very interesting comments (the book has 128 pages and 72 illustrations, usually taking up the space of a page, so there is not a whole lot of text, and the fonts are pretty big). So, if you are looking for interesting theories concerning Botticelli's mythological paintings, than this is one of the books for you. If you're looking for books with nice pictures, there are better ones available (this one is smallish, and because of the format, although has nice details, the main pictures do not generally fit on a single page).

illuminating and engaging
After reading this book I went to the Uffizi and saw Botticelli in a new light. His writing leads you through the paintings as if you are unravelling a mystery, giving you insight that a modern viewer would otherwise never have. The book is both wonderfully concise and substantial, with details, illustrations, references to the cultural of some of the most beautiful and well-known paintings in the world.

Good book on Botticelli
This is a good book to start with to learn about Botticelli. It says it has 57 color images (72 total), but many are details of the same works, or related works by other artists. 6 most famous paintings are focused on. The text is pretty interesting, including some art history and explanations ofthose works. But the small size of the book (about 10 inches high), doesn'tallow detailed reproductions. Basically, this is a great book to own if youwould rather not pay (the money) for a more complete book, or if youprefer lighter reading. I found "Botticelli: Images of Love andSpring" a pleasant surprise. ... Read more

Product Description
Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Sandro Botticelli," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Sandro Botticelli in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Sandro Botticelli when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Sandro Botticelli, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more

Product Description
- paperback versions of the highly successful hardback series; - an entertaining and humorous introduction to famous artists; - excellent colour reproductions of the artists work. ... Read more