This the painting that first brought Botticelli fame
and allowed him to begin building a name in the Florentine
art world. This allegorical painting is 1.75 m (69")
high and was painted to serve as a chair back in the Court
of the Mercanzia.
Botticelli received the commission for the foremost virtue:
Fortitude. When the Court was dissolved in 1771, the work
was transferred to the Academia; from there, it went to
the Uffizi, but was not exhibited until 1863.
This very early painting shows the influence
of both Pollaiolo in and Verocchio (the latter most noticably
in the way in which the cloth is painted). The figure
herself looks to me something like those painted by his
first teacher Lippi.
Please contact the appropriate
person, webmaster or archive before reproducing these images.
Where no credit is given, the scan was done by me and is free
for use (but I would appreciate a link). Thank-you.
