The age of the Renaissance in Italy was graced with many

extraordinary artists, one of which was the painter Sandro

Botticelli. He is believed to be born between the years 1444 and

1445 (there is no official birth date recorded), to Mariano

Filipepi of Florence, Italy. His surname was changed to

Botticelli because of the nickname 'Il Botticello' given to him

as a young boy, which means 'Little Barrel.'(Ettlinger 7) Sandro

benefitted greatly from the arts and politics alive in the city.

Florence itself is one of the larger cities in Italy and had a

growing and prosperous merchant class with ties to all the major

European countries (Ettlinger 7). The leader of the time that

ruled Florence with a strong hand, who would eventually

commission Botticelli's work, was Cosimo de' Medici. There was a

strong contempt towards the corruption of the Church and clergy

at the time, and an appreciation of holiness that is reflected in

the abundant naturalism of the artworks produced (Lightbown 14).

This, as well as the importance of being well skilled and

knowledgeable in sport, art, music, history, classic Greek and

Latin works, and military strategy were all elements of the

charity and piety. A simple analysis by the Ettlingers' states:

lines to express the human form naturally and with imagined

Botticelli's most noted work for form and color has to be

faces of the condemned men became the center of the Punishment of

Renaissance whose linear style and talent for creating movement

monumentally" (17). The feeling of stern concentration is

Filipo's death in 1969, his son Filippino sought out an

had a great influence on Botticelli and elements of his style

commissioned by Pope Sixtus to decorate the newly constructed

childhood. The important writers being read at the time were

flowers. The dance of the Graces is in celebration of the

through their translucent clothing and their appearance to be

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1826
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)