Botticelli

Sandro Boticelli was born in Florence in 1445. At the age of 15, he became an apprentice to Fra Filippo Lippi, a famous Renaissance painter. Botticelli learned quickly and was able to start his own workshop in 1470 He became close to the Medici family, and many of his works were commissioned by the prominent family. He created many paintings and became quite famous. Many of his paintings emulated sadness and depression. He also often mixed together pagan ideas and Christian ideas. He was asked to paint part of the Sistine Chapel and he added 7 portraits to the celling. After the death of Lorenzo de’ Medici and the decline of the Medici family, his popularity began to wane. He was overshadowed by “newer” painters such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. His style of painting often changed, reflecting his struggle to keep up his reputation as a extraordinary painter. He died in 1510, and his works went unappreciated for many years until the 19th century when interest in Renaissance art grew.