Art of the Day: Primavera by Sandro Botticelli

Primavera by Sandro Botticelli (c.1477-1482).

Spring is definitely in full swing in the Southern hemisphere. For this reason, what better time to share this famous work to be inspired by this bountiful season.

Also known as L’allegoria della primavera (The Allegory of Spring) it hangs in the Uffizi museum in Florence, Italy.

To understand the narrative of the painting, it was designed to be read from right to left.

The characters featured are Zephyr (the Spring wind) next to Chloris, who then transforms into Flora, the Spring goddess.

The slightly off-centred figure is Venus, hand out-reached with a putto (cherub), shooting an arrow towards the Three Graces.

The final character on the left is Mercury.

The painting bursts with life, with 500 identified species of plants including 190 varieties of flowers 130 of which can be identified.

Neo-Platonic philosophy was incredibly popular during the Renaissance period when the painting was created and is said to have had a great influence on Botticelli.

Themes of Spirit, nature, creation and matter were injected into this artwork which was commissioned as a wedding gift from Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco dei Medici to his wife.