We'll leave Mercury (who some say wears the face of Medici art patron Lorenzo the Magnificent) and move all the way to the right side of the painting. On the left all is tranquil and everyone is captured in beautiful moment in time.
Not so on the right--here is drama and metamorphosis before our very eyes. The flying blue winged figure who grabs the fleeing, barely covered maiden is Zephyrus, the god of the west wind. (He's the same one you see in the Birth of Venus gently blowing her seashell ship to shore).
Zephyrus is the wind that brings warm, fragrant breezes to the Mediterranean countries in the spring. It is said that his 'breath' makes the flowers bloom. And if you look closely at the painting, you can see that only the trees in front of hi
m are fruitful.
The ancient Roman poet, Ovid-- a favorite of Renaissance intellectuals, tells us the story we see depicted here. One day Zephyrus spied the nymph Chloris is a meadow and was struck by her beauty. Although she fled in terror from his advances, he ravished her (as they say) and then married her. Once married, Chloris was magically transformed into Flora, the goddess of the spring.
In Botticelli's painting, we see the very moment of her change. Notice how Chloris reaches out and touches Flora, seeming to almost melt into her. See the flowers spewing from her mouth becoming the flowers that decorate Flora's lovely dress. Flora, whose face has lost all traces of terror, calmly gathers the roses into a fold of her gown and prepares to toss them at the feet of Venus, who stands alone in the center. Naked Chloris becomes an image of beauty and, most importantly, fertility in her new married self, whose name has changed to Flora.
Thus, a shy, terrified young maiden is transformed into a happy, fruitful wife. Remember, this painting was a wedding gift, most likely meant not only to delight but also to instruct the bride and groom on the joys of marriage.
There's so much more to talk about in the work (and there have been many books written about this one painting), and I'll have lots more to say when we're standing in front of this nearly life size masterpiece in the Uffizi in Florence.
For now, I want to end by pointing out the light blue halo that surrounds Venus. This, and her very virtuous dress and stance, creates a subtle link with the Virgin Mary. This Venus is the "good" Venus of holy love. The shape of the leaves in the 'halo' identifies them as myrtle, an evergreen plant that was sacred to Venus. Roman bridal couples wore wreaths of myrtle on their heads, as it represented desire, fertility, and everlasting marital love--all ideas that are so beautifully expressed in the elegant Primavera where marriage is seen as a garden of earthly delight, true love, and prosperity.
We'll be spending time with this and many other great paintings on the October 2008 Tastes of Tuscany Tour. There are still a few places left, but the deadline for signing up is approaching.
If you'd enjoy seeing the treasures of Florence, Pisa, and Siena, learning to prepare Tuscan specialties in a magnificent villa, and enjoying la dolce vita, don't delay. Full information at Time of Your Life Tours.
