Sandro Botticelli, an Italian Renaissance painter, produced Primavera in the late 1470s / early 1480s. Botticelli was among the first Italian Renaissance artists to center his large-scale pieces around ancient Greek and Roman mythology. He did so mostly at the request of the younger generations of the Medici family, at a point where religion was no longer at the forefront of artistic subject matter. However, this is slightly ironic because Primavera was hung in the bed chambers of a bride to a member of the Medici family. The general theme of the painting is “one of love and marriage and when done in the right order will bring forth sensuality and fertility.” (1) So even though the painting symbolizes a time of transition from religious to mythological subject matter, the act of hanging it in a bride-to-be’s bedroom before matrimony reveals traditionally religious undertones. Also, because of the fact that the woman was set to marry a Medici, which was an obscenely wealthy and powerful family at the time, it’s safe to assume that the marriage was arranged by entities other than herself. The mythology that Primavera depicts is symbolic of this phenomenon. On the right is the goddess of flowers, Flora, who was originally a person named Chloris. Chloris was raped in the forest by the wind god, Zephyr. In order to prove to Chloris that he was remorseful of his actions he married her and granted her eternal life as Flora, goddess of flowers. A weird way to say sorry, but the marriage wasn’t her decision nonetheless. 

The figures Primavera portray an element of mannerism in the way that their torsos, limbs, and necks appear unnaturally long. Three of these figures gathered in a circle are dressed in a sheer, lightweight fabrics. They are barefoot and appear to be partaking in a kind of dance. There is another figure to the far right dressed in similar clothing. I think that the lighter values of these figures in both their features and clothing are representative of their roles within the painting. The three figures especially because they are a depiction of the Three Graces. In Roman mythology, they represent Chastity, Beauty, and Love, “The Roman writer Seneca refers to them as ‘pure and undefiled and holy in the eyes of all” (2).

Personally, I think that this painting would be confusing to behold had I not been told the mythology behind it. In an aesthetic sense, it’s not the most appealing to just look at. Although interesting to pick apart analytically and very beautiful, it’s not necessarily my cup of tea or something I would hang in my home.

Works Cited

1.    Renaissance.org, Italian. "Botticelli’S Primavera – Italianrenaissance.Org". Italianrenaissance.Org, 2022, https://www.italianrenaissance.org/a-closer-look-botticellis-primavera/.

2.    Rymer, Eric. "Primavera By Sandro Botticelli". Historylink101.Com, 2022, https://www.historylink101.com/art/Sandro_Botticelli/pages/09_Primavera_jpg.htm.

Art Analysis

     Girl on a Green Sofa with a Cat is a painting created by Max Pechstein in 1910. It is categorized as a work of expressionism or fauvism, a movement that began at the turn of the 20th century in France although it is unknown exactly where this piece originated. Fauvism entails bright, opaque, and often contrasting colors depicting realistic value. The colors in Girl on a Green Sofa with a Cat are certainly bold, but more muted than more popularized examples of Fauvism, such as Woman in a Hat by Henri Matisse. 

    I feel drawn to this painting mostly because of the sense of comfort and calm that it invokes. The vast majority of the painting is done in various shades of deep and royal greens that vary in shades to create depth and value. An example of this is the sofa cushion that the girl rests on. The reflection of lighter green on the bottom half of the cushion contrasts with the darker half of the top half to portray the weight of the girl contorting the natural shape of the cushion while also displaying an element of unity. This also implies that the girl herself is comfortable. Her positioning, with her head resting in her hand and the other between her knees, reflects similar awkward, but cozy positions we all find ourselves in when relaxing on our own couch, in a grand armchair, or what have you.

    The choice of color in this piece is particularly appealing to me. Green is a secondary color, formulated by equal parts blue and yellow. It's dominant in nature and represents relaxation, harmony, and peace. Psychologists have studied the color green and found that green has calming effects because people associate greenery with a place where basic needs will be met, like an oasis. 

    There is an emphasis on the girl's face in the painting, which is bright red. This could mean a number of things, and I think that it depends on the viewer to determine what exactly that is. It could be that she's upset and has been crying, that she's tired, that she has simply been sitting there for too long. I think that no matter how you perceive it, the color placement is intentional and is meant to help convey the mood of the painting. Subsequently, the mood that is perceived is dependent on the reasoning imagined by the viewer of why the girl's face is flushed with bright red.

Citations

    Braam, Hailey. "Green Color Psychology, Symbolism And Meaning". Color Psychology, 2022, https://www.colorpsychology.org/green/.

    Encyclopedia Britannica, The Editors of. "Fauvism | Definition, Art, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2022, https://www.britannica.com/art/Fauvism.

    "Woman With A Hat - Wikipedia". En.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_with_a_Hat.