Sandro Botticelli Biography

Sandro Botticelli

The artist we know as Sandro Botticelli was born in the Santa Maria Novella quarter of Florence, Italy in 1445. His given name was Alessandro Di Mariano Filipepi. Later in life he was given his nickname Sandro Botticelli. This was derived from his elder brother Giovanni, a pawnbroker called Il Botticello, which means little barrel. His nickname could have also come from another brother, Antonio, who was a gilder by trade. Not much was know about Botticelli until after his death, because it was unusual for him to sign his work.

In the Middle Ages it was not mandatory to keep birth certificates and most other records have turned to dust. His earliest biographical records come from his father. Apparently, in 1458, he filed a complaint to the Florence Registry about his 13 year-old son who was "unhealthy" and "reading." This helped by providing clues about Botticelli's tendencies, already forming at the age of 13. He was frail, but had a passion for independent, intellectual purists. His father was in despair about his future so he had Sandro apprentice at Antonio's workshop. This was not his calling, but it did give Botticelli the opportunity to become acquainted with some of the painters who commonly came by the gilding shop. When Sandro finally confessed to his father that he wanted be a painter, his father knew the force of his sons inclinations, and allowed him to apprentice under Fra Filippo Lippi, another early Renaissance master artist.

Botticelli was older then the average boy apprenticing for Lippi, most of them were around 12 while Botticelli was 16. In Fra Filippo's idealistic studio Botticelli really flourished with his painting. He not only learned Fra Filippo's composition and insight he also preferred his style of painting as well. Botticelli did adopt the characteristics of Fra Filippo's heavy contour lines, but added his own touch. His clean, slender lines to his unique airy compositions where lines pursuing one another, intertwined, then breaking away again in slow-moving rhythms.1

In 1467, Botticelli and Fra Filippo Lippi, went their separate ways. Botticelli went to work for the painter Andrea Verrocchio and also the Pollaiuolo brothrs. It was here that Sandro learned about space, foreshortening, perspective, and really came to understand the human body. These are said to be the last technical lessons Botticelli needed to become a master painter.

In 1470 Botticelli officially became an independent painter in Florence. He was able to open his own workshop, and received his first commission for the Tribunal of the Arts della Mercanzia, the Merchant's Gild, of Florence. Botticelli had to paint one panel in a series illustrating the seven Virtues. It was this panel named Fortitude that assured Botticelli's place in Florence's artistic world.

Throughout his life Botticelli