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Sandro Botticelli's Mystic Nativity

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The 15th century in Florence, Italy was a time of great turmoil; the italian wars created great vulnerability within the people of Florence and some of the great pieces of art had different meanings and intentions than they had before. The great artist Sandro botticelli’s only painting that was signed and dated, was titled the Mystic Nativity. Through the religious iconography in the painting, a better understanding of the political turmoil at this time is realized. Originally a court painter for the Medici family, Botticelli came to be an ardent follower of the friar and preacher savonarola. Savonarola (something about being so hardcore and a dictator and extremist ) Many great pieces of art were destroyed in this period unless they were …show more content…

This is one of Savonarola’s beliefs, published in 1495, referring to the privileges of the Virgin and why Mary is all powerful. Each ribbon held by an angel contains one of the twelve privileges of Mary. One of Savonarola’s privileges of the Virgin describes Mary as ‘Queen of the World’ and most gloryful over all men, as well as all Saints. During the Italian wars, specifically in the year 1494, 10,000 French soldiers entered Florence. The Florentines did not know what to do; however, Savonarola stepped in and made an alliance with France, convincing the many soldiers to leave Florence. Many Florentines, pleased with Savonarola’s work in rescuing Florence began to follow him and view him as a prophet, making him not only a religious leader, but a political one as well. The political state of Florence became completely tied into religion and Savonarola’s beliefs became the politics of the time. Mystic nativity is a religious painting; however, it is demonstrating how the church and state were more or less one. Savonarola stepped into the political vacuum, and becoming the political head, he took over everything, he burnt all books and art that were not related to religion, which began a demise within society because religion and government typically work best when separate. With the great power Savonarola gained, there is danger, this is expressed through the devils in the painting, the devils are representing the inevitability of demise when one person is in control of both religion and

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