Botticelli: Painting, Poetry and Piety

Comprehensive online course from Paula Nuttall on the life and work of the 15th century artist, Botticelli.

As ever Nuttall delivered a clear narrative with great illustrations and good analysis of the art works. She began in the first week with a run through of Botticelli’s life from his early training as a goldsmith, through his work on the Sistine Chapel and his great works on his return to Florence. She discussed the context of the times he lived in and how he adapted to the political and religious turmoil. 

Week two we concentrated on the famous mythological works looking at who they were painted for and where. We spent some time how groundbreaking they were and what texts they might be based on. She emphasized the artists design skills and intelligence as a visualiser of poetry.

The final week moved to the religious works taking us through the artists major altarpieces for Florence and his role in popularising devotional pictures of the Virgin and Chid. We spent some time discussing the role of the preacher Savonarola in his later work with an in-depth look at “The Mystic Nativity”. Nuttall also included a detailed look at Botticelli’s illustrations for Dante’s “Divine Comedy”, wonderful, detailed drawings for each verse of the great poem.


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