During the Renaissance Era, drawings became an important part of constructing the broad paintings and breathtaking frescoes the period was known for. These illustrations have also helped artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Tiziano Vecellio, and Tintoretto to accurately recreate the deceptively complex structure of the human body and its many poses.
However, standing tall amongst these artistic giants of the Renaissance is Sandro Botticelli, whose drawings were in an entire class of their own. One expert has even regarded Botticelli as "the greatest artist of linear design that Europe has ever had."
That expert on Italian Renaissance Art is Furio Rinaldi who has curated an expansive exhibition in the Bay area's fine arts museum entitled "Boticelli Drawings," as reported by The Guardian. The exhibition is on show at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco until Feb. 11.
A visitor looks at a portrait by 15th century master Sandro Botticelli during the 'Filippino Lippi and Sandro Boticelli nella Firenze del' 400" exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome on October 4, 2011.
A Laboriously Curated Sandro Botticelli Collection
The collection revolves around 27 of the genius artist's drawings, including five newly authenticated illustrations that were previously unseen by the public. In its entirety, over 60 works of Botticelli have been lent by around a dozen individuals.
Its purpose is to reportedly give Bay area residents the opportunity to visit one of the biggest shows of Botticelli's handiwork that has ever been attempted.
According to Rinaldi, the exhibition "took more than three years to organize," sharing that most of the challenge in staging the collection was actually gathering the pieces themselves. Although Botticelli was widely recognized as an innovator and painter, only a measly two dozen works of his have survived throughout time.
"There are very, very few drawings that have survived that can be attributed to Botticelli," Rinaldi said before continuing to explain the disparity of restored works between Botticelli and his contemporaries, setting Da Vinci as the contrasting example with his "thousands of drawings" to Botticeli's "30 sheets" by Rinaldi's own count.
This was also due to the fact that Botticelli passed away in poverty, leaving his drawing workshop to be poorly preserved compared to many of his fellow Renaissance artists. Rinaldi added that Da Vinci and Michaelangelo both had pupils to continue taking care of their works, something Botticelli did not have.
The Unbridled Appeal of the 'Botticelli Drawings'
Bearing the fact that Botticelli's illustrations, like many drawings during the Renaissance, are minimalist in nature, the Legion of Honor's galleries were "stripped down" in order to give the showcased collection the focus and to provide a polished "contemporary" feeling.
"I wanted to put the audience in the best possible position to appreciate this work, so you will see a very sparse hang," Rinaldi shared.
He also added that, despite the intensive historical research that has gone behind every hung piece in the collection, Rinaldi is endeavoring to "remove Botticelli from the art historical mythologies," which results in an interesting and unique viewing experience.
All in all, the exhibition excels in presenting Botticelli in a refreshing way that allows the viewers to "see" the pieces "purely." The exhibition is a major show for the museum and it invites all kinds of eyes to feast upon a Rennaissance master's rarely seen artworks.
"Renaissance Florence is so far away in time and place that people don't even know what it means anymore. I think it's time to turn the leaf and look at these artists with today's eyes," Rinaldi said.
