Uffizi Gallery Florence, Italy. It was also the painting that marked the pinnacle of Botticelli's career. Your email address will not be published. His hand, clutching his cloak, draws the observer's eye to a full length figure standing at the front of the crowd at the edge of the painting. This painting established Botticelli's fame in Florence, and may Around 1475, Gaspare di Zanobi del Lama, a Florentine wealthy money changer and courtier of the Medici family, commissioned Sandro Botticelli, still a young painter protected by the Medici family, to paint an altarpiece for his funeral chapel in the church of Santa Maria Novella.The work of the currency exchange was not well seen by the morality of the time: the people who exercised it were treated as usurers, because they got wealthy at the expense of their customers. Vasari was effusive in his praise of the piece; "It is a marvellous work in colour, design and composition." In particular, by Cosimo de Medici, whom Botticelli painted prominently at Mary’s feet, in the act of bowing to kiss the Child's foot. Before the 15th Century, it was unusual for this scene to be found on a Florentine altar piece. Botticelli also draws the viewer deliberately into the scene. All that remained of del Lama's brief social advancement was Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi, intended for his chapel in Santa Maria Novella. Placed centrally in the composition is another kneeling figure, this time the Magi is swathed in an ermine-trimmed red cloak. Each figure� is an expression of piety, the postures of their hands and bodies revealing devotion,� reverence and contemplation on the divine mystery before them. Del Lama may be seen among the crowd of people on This, one of his most expansive and ambitious, is painted in a circular format called a tondo. However, he has also been pointed out as the sombre dark haired man, the red trim of his cloak contrasting richly with its blackness, standing behind Giovanni. It is not unusual for portraits of the nobility, or members of important families, to be depicted as characters in paintings, particularly those that feature the Magi. Adoration of the Magi Sandro Botticelli 1475. The Medici are not mere bystanders in the painting. The most famous members of the Medici family are portrayed Above the table, Botticelli also painted the Adoration of the Child (1976), now detached and moved above the central portal of the Church, on the counter-façade.The scene depicts the moment in which the three wise men, Magi, arrived at the birthplace of Jesus Christ. It is unknown whether Gaspare instructed Botticelli to include the many likenesses of the Medici family in it, or whether it was a decision that Botticelli made. Looking at this painting it is easy to imagine becoming part of the crowd paying homage to the baby. The Adoration of the Magi is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, dating from 1475 or 1476, early in his career.The work is on display at the Uffizi in Florence.Botticelli was commissioned to paint at least seven versions of The Adoration of the Magi. Del Lama was thus following a practice which had come down from mediaeval times, Study The Adoration of the Magi by Sandro Botticelli. The Medici family were members of the Company and were frequently painted as the three Magi. Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi is a painting that is rich in vitality and interest. the successful outcome of his business. The question naturally arises as to what Guasparre del Lama hoped to achieve by depicting the Medici family in his altar painting. This is a part of the Wikipedia article used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Unported License (CC-BY-SA). //-->. In January, 1476, He returned to his earlier life of mediocrity, to die in humble circumstances. The elderly figure of the Magi kneeling reverently at the Virgin's feet, dressed in a richly jewelled and embroidered outfit, has been identified as a representation of Cosimo de' Medici. Guasparre del Lama was a parvenu from the humblest background with a dubious past - he had been convicted of the embezzlement of public funds in 1447. It was destined for a Florentine chapel, the Santa Maria Novella. This painting is a deception of the wise men/ kings bringing Mother Mary and Baby Jesus gifts. It was destined for a Florentine chapel, the Santa Maria Novella. The Adoration of the Magi was commissioned from Botticelli by Italian banker, Gaspare di Zanobi del Lama. The other Wise can be identified as Piero and Giovanni de Medici, Cosimo’s two sons. They are kneeling, speaking one each other. Botticelli was commissioned to paint at least seven versions of The Adoration of the Magi. The Adoration of the Magi is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, dating from 1475 or 1476, early in his career. In the scene numerous characters are present, among which are several members of the Medici family: Cosimo de' Medici (the Magus kneeling in front of the Virgin, described by Vasari as "the finest of all that are now extant for its life and vigour"), his sons Piero (the second Magus kneeling in the centre with the red mantle) and Giovanni (the third Magus), and his grandsons Giuliano and Lorenzo. Other Medici family members are no doubt portrayed in the Adoration of the Magi but it has been harder to identify them accurately. A few more steps and you would be part of the scene. Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) painted the subject at least seven times.