One of the great geniuses of the early Italian Renaissance, Botticelli (1445-1510) is best known for his pagan themes: the Birth of Venus and Primavera feature nude goddesses in scenes inspired by Roman mythology. But his later career was dominated by his religious paintings, as he fell under the spell of the sinister Dominican friar Savonarola. In this talk, art historian Brenda Edgar will explore the friar’s influence on Botticelli’s surviving body of exquisite works, which may have been substantially reduced in the very famous public bonfire of 1497 in Florence.

Join us for our “Art History Illustrated” talk series, held the third Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. This monthly illustrated talk series is presented by art historian Brenda Edgar, in collaboration with The Floyd County Carnegie Library Cultural Arts Center.

Image: detail of Sandro Botticelli’s Mystic Nativity, c. 1500-1501, National Gallery, London, UK.