Primavera (Spring) is one of Botticelli's best known and best loved paintings. Every day, crowds of people gape in awe at this lovely painting in the Uffizi Museum in Florence, but few understand its symbols or can read its story.
Let's start with Mercury, the one male
figure, on the far left. We can recognize Mercury by his apparel, his action, and by how fitting it is that he should be present in this springtime scene.
Mercury wears winged sandals, a red toga with a pattern of flames, and he bears a sword and a caduceus. He is the Roman version of Hermes, the messenger god, the son of Maia (goddess of spring) and Zeus. Mercury, like Hermes, is always depicted in winged sandals to emphasize his swiftness as a messenger.
Handsome Mercury is the god of trade, profit and commerce--a perfect choice for this painting that was most likely commissioned for a Medici wedding. The Medici's were a wealthy banking family. The words commerce, merchant, and market all derive from his name. Mercury is also a god of abundance and plenty.
Another aspect of Mercury is that he is the intermediary between the four elements of air, earth, water, and fire(remember the flames on his robe?), and the phenomenon they produce--especially the weather. We see him here using his caduceus (the staff all messengers carried to signify their status and allow them free passage and protection wherever they traveled)to dissolve the lone cloud, so that no rain can mar this festive gathering.
Mercury's helmet and sword indicate his readiness to defend the fair maidens from any who might seek to harm them. His red garment and masculine build are signs of his sexual maturity and strength--clearly appreciated by the dancer in the middle of the circle who gazes directly at him. If you look at the top of the painting in the center, you can see blind-folded Cupid is about to shoot her with an arrow of love.
As the god of commerce and profit, Mercury is especially welcome in this scene. Notice the orange trees with their abundance of fruit in this painting. Oranges are a symbol of the wealthy Medici family, the most powerful family in Renaissance Florence. Not only is there a pun on their name--oranges were often referred to as malus medicus or medicinal apples--but the fruit resembles the balls on the Medici shield. If you look, you will often see oranges and orange trees in paintings from this time--that means the Medici family, who were great patrons of the arts, probably commissioned the work.
Look at the orange trees again. Notice that there are both blossoms and orange fruits present on the same branches. The white flowers represent chastity and beauty, while the oranges are a symbol of fertility and plenty, fitting images for a painting that was most likely given as a wedding gift.
These are just a few of the many symbols and layers of meaning in this one small section of this beautiful painting. Next time, I'll write about some of the other figures and suggest a possible overall message. I hope you have enjoyed this brief glimpse into a masterpiece.
