Botticelli's Mystic Nativity: a longer look

Super morning workshop at the National Gallery looking in detail at Botticelli’s Mystic Nativity.

The course leader, Karly Allen, began by looking at the iconography of Nativity scenes to this point and discussing how this picture fits into Botticelli’s later career when his style simplified.

We then spent time with the picture itself in the gallery looking at the detail in it and discussing the colours and iconography.

After coffee we talked about how the picture sat in its time and place, 1500 Florence, and how it may have been influenced by the preaching of Savonarola and the writings of Dante. Finally we looked at the history of the picture in the National Gallery collection.

All in all a nice Christmas themed workshop to put you in the mood for the festivities.

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