Cartão Primavera, Three Graces, by Sandro Botticelli

This detail of The Three Graces from the painting La Primavera (Spring) by Sandro Botticelli, tempera on wood panel c. 1482, highlights the graceful, rhythmic drawing and deep understanding of classical form which characterize the work of this Renaissance master. The Graces are part of a procession of ancient gods from classical mythology who herald the coming of spring, symbolizing the era of rebirth and renewal that was the Renaissance. Primavera in its elegant classical figures, details of costume, foliage and flowers, and complex composition forms one of the iconic images of Western art. Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) was a Florentine painter of the of the early Italian Renaissance who apprenticed under the master Filippo Lippi. With strong Gothic influences, the mature work of Botticelli reflected a study of antique classical sculpture and was noted for its linear grace and rhythm, flattened relief-like forms with strong contours, and subtle coloring. The complexity of meanings in Botticelli’s compositions, from sources drawn from classical antiquity, mythology and philosophy, enthralled scholars for centuries.