Botticelli and the renaissance at Bund One Art Museum

Could eternal love be visualized?

Yes, as Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) made it.

When the Italian Renaissance master first met Simonetta, he immediately found his lifelong dream of an artistic muse.

The beautiful image was everywhere under his brushstrokes, whether it is Venus, the goddess of spring – Clarisse, or the goddess of flowers – Flora.

Simonetta died at 22, however, Botticelli, unmarried through his entire life, had solidified her ethereal and aesthetic beauty in the whole Western art.

The man's last wish was to bury himself just beside her tomb 40 years later.

Probably this year's must-visit exhibition, "Botticelli and the Renaissance" is currently underway at the Bund One Art Museum.

The exhibition was first announced in 2021, but was later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

Co-hosted by the Bund One Art Museum and the Uffizi Galleries of Italy with the support of the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai and its cultural office as well as the Shanghai International Association, the exhibition centered around Botticelli showcases 10 rare works by the Florentine artist and other Renaissance masters, 48 pieces in all. They include Botticelli's world-famous paintings "Pallas and the Centaur" (1480-1485) and "Adoration of the Magi" (1474-1475).

"This is such a precious opportunity for the local visitors to witness such treasures of the Uffizi Galleries in Italy," said Xie Dingwei, director of Shanghai Tix Media. "There have been so many efforts and endeavors to accomplish the exhibition."

The four-month-long exhibition is the second international show in Uffizi's five years of 10 exhibitions in Shanghai, thanks to a collaboration between the Uffizi Gallery and Shanghai Tix Media.

The project is aimed at constantly promoting Italy's artistic heritage around the world.

The exhibition has been curated into four themes: "Florence and Renaissance: The City and Leading Figures," "The House in the Renaissance," "Renaissance and Antiquity" and "Botticelli and the Florentine Painters of the Renaissance," covering various art forms such as tempera painting, oil painting, fresco and sculpture. It explores the evolution from Gothic to the Renaissance, and also an exploration of the seminal influence of the Medici family of Florence on the Renaissance and art history.

Besides the masterpieces of Botticelli, the exhibition also showcases rare masterpieces by 30 other world-famous artists, such as "The Announcing Angel and Saint John the Baptist" by Botticelli's mentor Filippo Lippi (1406-1469), "Saint Mary Magdalene" by Perugino (1446-1524), one of the first Italian oil painters, "Venus" by the well-known Italian painter Lorenzo di Credi (1458-1537).

Perhaps it is interesting for the viewers to find "Adoration of the Magi" created by Botticelli in different periods, and the same title is also depicted under the brushstrokes by Cosimo Roselli (1439-1507).

In fact, it is widely recognized that "Adoration of the Magi" (1474-1475) by Botticelli ranks in the top three following "Birth of Venus" and "Spring."

In mid-15th-century Italy, the Renaissance was poised to take off, and Florence, under the Medici family, entered a golden age of power and influence.

As one of the favorite painters of the Medici family, Botticelli not only painted several members of the Medici family into "Adoration of the Magi," but himself as well.

Standing far right in the painting, the figure in a golden robe who turns around and looks at the viewers is actually the painter himself. It is said to be the only portrait of Botticelli that exists today.

Although "The Birth of Venus" and "Spring," Botticelli's two masterpieces are not allowed to travel outside Italy, compensation is made through the exclusively licensed replica made by the Uffizi Galleries for the Shanghai exhibition.

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence is one of the most-visited museums in the world. It houses some of the most important works of the Renaissance, including paintings by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and Botticelli.

Exhibition info:

Dates: April 28-August 27, 10am-6pm

Venue: Bund One Art Museum

Tickets: 158 yuan (appointment needed through the WeChat account "东一美术馆")

Address: 1 Zhongshan Road E1

中山东一路1号