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As the High Renaissance was ushered in at the beginning of the sixteenth century, Botticelli had already fallen into disfavor, at times barely surviving on the brink of starvation. Highly successful at the height of his career, Botticelli’s life ended with more of a whimper, as he died in quite a tragic manner in relative obscurity.
How did this happen? Botticelli fell under the spell of a Dominican monk, a fanatical, religious reformer named Girolamo Savonarola, and the primary target of Savonarola’s sermons was Lorenzo the Magnificent himself. The Florentine Republic was officially ruled by the Signoria, a council comprised of qualified guild members, but its de facto ruler was Lorenzo de’ Medici.
Lorenzo was a consummate diplomat and politician, surrounding himself with men of excellence and learning, poets, humanist scholars, and artists like Botticelli and Michelangelo. The lifestyle of Lorenzo the Magnificent with his elite gatherings made him a large target for Savonarola.
Medieval and Early Renaissance authorities had passed a number of laws designed to curb the ostentatious display of wealthy aristocrats. No where was this more evident than in Italy with its wealthy merchant class. Medicean money and thus patronage stemmed from the family banking business, and Lorenzo, like his predecessors, used his money to enjoy life.
Lorenzo was generous, lavishing his money and gifts on both friends and the church. He was a man equally at ease writing hymns and licentious poetry. From his artists, he commissioned both altarpieces and pagan-inspired nudes.
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