Not many painters have developed the intense sense of realism that those in the Renaissance have. One of the most prominent of these was Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, better known as Sandro Botticelli. He was born a natural Florentine in 1445 to a leather-tanner, Mariano di Vanni d'Amedeo Filipepi, and his wife, Smeralda Filipepi. The origins of his last name, Botticelli, are unknown, but it is plausible that it developed from the word bottigello, changing to botticello during his lifetime, meaning little barrel. The name is believed to have come from his elder brother. From 1464-67, he operated under the workshop of Fra Filippo Lippi, guiding him on his successful artistic path. Shortly after his experience with Lippi, he entered the workshop of Verrocchio. By 1470, he founded his own workshop in the bustling city of Florence. In January 1474, he developed one of his first major works. Saint Sebastian was positioned in Sta Maria Maggiore in the heart of the city. This specific installation put him on the artistic map, assisting in the development of a well-regarded persona and reputation. A short time after, he was called to Pisa for the planning of frescoes at the Camposanto, but in the end, he didn't fill this request. Botticelli became highly regarded as an inspirational artist and even produced works for the Medicis. It is plausible that his two most famous pieces, Primavera and Birth of Venus, were produced for the family. He developed many works for public view, including frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Although he wasn't considered a Renaissance man by definition, he still greatly influenced the period as a whole. Excluding his pictures and illustrations completed for Dante's Inferno, his main medium was painting. Botticelli's intense examination of nature is evident in his works. A primary example of this can be seen in his Birth of Venus piece. His research on shells helped him to develop the magical base which Venus utilizes to float upon the water. Throughout his artistic career, perspective and three-dimensionality play a large role and overwhelming influence. Specifically, in portraits produced by him, the vitality, expression, and surface texture shine through the other aspects. The advanced techniques and principles he utilized all display an important message of humanism. Towards the last years of Botticelli's career, he focused his topics on Christianity and its many stories. When new artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci, and their techniques emerged in the later Renaissance, his style was out of date and became less popular. He passed away in 1510 at the age of 65. Botticelli's overwhelming influence on the art world will continue to live on through centuries.
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