Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Jessica Ruby
Around 1469, a wealthy money changer commissioned
a young painter named Sandro Botticelli
Botticelli would, of course, become known
as one of the greatest painters of the High Renaissance,
producing works like "La Primavera"
But, in 1469, he had not yet earned this reputation.
The scene this young artist set out to paint was well-known:
arriving at the birth place of Jesus Christ.
Botticelli would aspire to take this common theme
and produce an entirely original work,
among the most important citizens of Florence.
Many earlier paintings illustrate the Magi
arriving at a stable, stately manger,
The young Botticelli, however, chose
to place the scene in the dilapidated Roman ruin.
At the center of this structure,
he placed a sturdy rock for Mary and Jesus
to sit high above their visitors.
With this decision, Botticelli seemed to say
Christianity will be built on sturdier stuff than Rome.
Botticelli then populated the space
with important men from his city.
On the right side, he paints the man
who paid for this work, Gaspare del Lama,
and confidently pointing at himself
who is responsible for this masterpiece.
Though born the son of a barber,
del Lama amassed a good sum of money
through currency exchange in his lifetime.
He earned enough money to buy a burial chapel
and decorate it with a pretty painting.
The Three Wise Men appear at the center of this painting,
As models for these important figures,
Botticelli used members of the important Medici family.
Del Lama's career as a money changer
without the help of the powerful Medici family,
in particular Cosimo de' Medici,
who appears prominently at Mary's feet.
The other wise men can be identified
as Piero and Giovanni de' Medici,
The business of money exchange
had dubious ethical and legal associations,
so the friendship of this powerful family was important.
And the young heir to Medici power, Lorenzo,
could not be omitted from this painting's composition.
He appears to the left of the manger.
the Medici legacy, with its many healthy heirs,
will be built on sturdier stuff than Rome.
Botticelli then filled the rest of the space
with other friends and powerful figures from Florence.
And, among the Florentine elite,
the young, confident artist painted himself
looking directly at the viewer.
Botticelli's presence in this painting
illustrates a radical shift in the perception
of artists during this time period.
Botticelli did not view himself
as a common craftsman hired for a simple job.
to the powerful families of Florence.
Paintings like "The Adoration of the Magi"
reveal much more than a simple retelling of a biblical story.
They can tell the story of, among other things,
attempting to spend his money virtuously
by making a local chapel more beautiful,
or the story of an ambitious young painter,