Botticelli is one of the most famous artists during the Italian Renaissance. He was very well know for the portrayal of the female figure and his ability to incorporate femininity as a symbol of life itself and/or nature illustrated by the changes of seasons. Botticelli most famous figure was that of Venus, the goddess of love. She was incorporated into two of his most famous works, The Birth of Venus and Primavera. Most of Botticelli's women had that typical hourglass figure to them . During the time period in which these works were created, women with the physical characteristics of Venus were considered to be the ideal feminine figure. These women were considered to be ideal because during this era, flesh was a symbol of health, wealth,
Spring is the known to be the beginning of new life because that meant that one survived the harsh winters. In this painting, Venus symbolizes the survival of the past season. The three goddesses to the left of Venus symbolize the blooming of the upcoming season (Dempsey, 62). Even though the artist uses these women as a symbol of something, he still shows much respect for them by putting some form of coverage on their figures. The shapes of the women's bodies in Botticelli's paintings are all very similar to one another. When the women are revealing their bodies, they have the typical hourglass figure. When the women are clothed however, he makes them appear as if they were fuller in figure (bigger in the belly area). Botticelli's women have another similarity. The faces of these women all have a quiet, yet sophisticated look to them. None of his women seem to be the type of woman that speaks out about what she feels and wants. It's as if one must read their facial expressions to understand what it is they are trying to say or interpret what they want. Lastly, all his women have that gorgeous, wavy hair that makes them attracting to look at and very sexy. Rizzo 4 Botticelli had a way of depicting his women in a sexy, yet respectable manor. He never did a "bad" portrayal of the woman figure. In conclusion, Botticelli's women were always depicted as the ideal women of the Renaissance time period. The women in his paintings were never