The multiple renaissances of Botticelli

If clothes make the man, in the 15th century, it didn't hurt to get a painter to upgrade that image too. The influential Italian Medici dynasty knew this, and Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) was commissioned to paint several portraits of its family members. These were lucrative contracts for the painter.

However, like many other artists throughout history, Botticelli would earn his livelihood as a painter hired to create religious imagery for churches. Episodes from the Bible or depictions of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ and portraits of the Madonna, as well as Greek mythology, belonged to the typical artistic repertoire of the early Renaissance.

Botticelli in Florence

Sandro Botticelli grew up in humble origins and was the son of a tanner. During his apprenticeship as a goldsmith, he developed his interest in painting. In 1464, Botticelli began a three-year training with Filippo Lippi, the then famous painter of Florence, enriching the young apprentice not only economically but also culturally.

The prosperous city of Florence was a major center of humanism. Just three years after his apprenticeship with Lippi, Botticelli opened his own workshop.

The death of Lorenzo de Medici - one of Botticelli's patrons - marks the end of the golden age of Florentine art in 1492. Two years later, the expulsion of the Medici family led to social and religious unrest in the city. Nevertheless, Botticelli's workshop remained active, and he produced paintings which still fascinate to this day.

Although the members of the banished family he portrayed remained famous, Botticelli was quickly forgotten after his death - only to be rediscovered in the 19th century.

His works have since served as an inspiration for many modern and contemporary artists. A Berlin museum is now exploring what makes Botticelli so influential in world art history.

Botticelli meets Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman

From September 24th 2015 to January 24th 2016, the exhibition "The Botticelli Renaissance" at the Berliner Gemäldegalerie pays tribute to the works and influence of the painter.

Along with a selection of 50 originals by Botticelli, about 100 more show how artists such as Edgar Degas, René Magritte, Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman turned the Old Master into a pop icon. Paintings and drawings, sculptures, photographies, video installations and fashion and design objects are on display.