Table of contents:
- Vespucci family
- Marriage to Marco Vespucci
- Meet the Medici family
- "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli
Video: Who was actually the most beautiful model of the Renaissance and favorite muse of Botticelli: Simonetta Vespucci
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
The painting by the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli "The Birth of Venus" is certainly one of the most iconic works in the Uffizi Gallery and one of the most famous paintings in the whole world. The model of Venus was a noble and influential woman, Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci, who, without exaggeration, is considered the greatest beauty in Florence of that era.
Vespucci family
The real name of the beauty is Simonetta Cattaneo. She was born in 1453 in Liguria. Her father was a Genoese nobleman named Gaspare Cattaneo Della Volta, and her mother was Cattokchia Spinola de Candia. The poet Poliziano wrote that her home is "in that strict Ligurian region above the coast, where the evil Neptune beats against the rocks … Where Venus was born among the waves."
Marriage to Marco Vespucci
At the age of 16, Simonetta married Marco Vespucci, who was a distant relative of the famous Florentine navigator Amerigo Vespucci, who gave the name to America. They met in April 1469 at the church of San Torpete.
Marco was sent to study in Genoa by his father. Simonetta's father accepted Marco's guest into his house, and he finally fell in love with the girl.
Soon the young people got married. This marriage was beneficial to both parties: the Marco family had good connections in Florence, especially with the Medici family. Soon Simonetta and Marco arrived in Florence, where the girl quickly gained wide popularity. The move came just at a time when Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother Giuliano from the Medici family came to power. 1469 was a golden year for Florence. During this time, the Medici family ruled the city, surrounded by the best artists, poets, philosophers and intellectuals of the time. Representatives of these circles were responsible for creating the standard of beauty of their time. And when Simonetta Vespucci arrived in Florence, all the influential people of the city unanimously declared the girl the embodiment of the standard of beauty.
Meet the Medici family
The Medici brothers, Lorenzo and Giuliano, instantly fell in love with her. They generously presented Simonetta with gifts, fighting for the time spent with her. Lorenzo even organized Vespucci's wedding at his palazzo in Via Larga and hosted a festive reception at the luxurious Villa di Careggi. Through the family of her husband - Marco - Sandro Botticelli himself contacted Simonetta, wishing to capture the lovely beauty on his canvases. Soon the whole royal court admired Simonetta and the ruling circles were fascinated. Countless poems and canvases by many artists have been created in her honor. If we recall a more modern personality, whose fame would be comparable to that of Vespucci, then we should probably think about Marilyn Monroe.
At a tournament in 1475, held in Piazza Santa Croce, Giuliano Medici came out with a banner depicting Simonetta as Pallas Athena. The drawing was prepared by Botticelli himself, and under it was the inscription "La Sans Pareille", which means "incomparable" in French. Since then, Simonetta has become known as the most beautiful woman in Florence, and later the most beautiful woman of the Renaissance. This impressive event, described by modern sources, also made the military alliance of Florence, Milan and Venice famous. After Giuliano won the tournament, he declared Simonetta a beauty queen. This was not only a perfectly acceptable expression of affection within the framework of court rules, but also seemed an obvious choice. Their true relationship remains a mystery to this day.
"The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli
Simonetta was Botticelli's favorite muse and model, who appears in many of his masterpieces. Botticelli finished his famous painting The Birth of Venus in 1485, 9 years after the girl's death. Such a long time did not prevent the artist from firmly fixing in his mind the image of the most beautiful woman in Florence. Some art historians suggest that Botticelli was also in love with her, and this opinion is confirmed by his request to bury him at the feet of his muse in the church of Ognissanti, the parish church of Vespucci. Botticelli's wish was fulfilled when he died 34 years later, in 1510.
Sandro Botticelli was, of course, not the only one who was inspired by the young blonde: Piero di Cosimo portrayed her as Cleopatra, and Luigi Pulci wrote rhymes for her. Her beauty was truly extraordinary, she also inspired the pen of Lorenzo the Magnificent, who wrote not one, but four poems for her after her untimely death.
Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci was a real nymph with those exceptional qualities that made her the object of universal admiration. Simonetta died just a year after the tournament, on the night of April 26-27, 1476, from pulmonary tuberculosis. She was only 22 years old. Marco Vespucci did not stay long in the status of a widower and soon got married. It was reported that the entire city mourned the death of Simonetta, and thousands followed her coffin to the funeral. During her short life, she inspired many artists with her exceptional beauty and extraordinary femininity.
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