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Filipepi, Alessandro di Mariano, called Botticelli, Sandro

1444 – 1510

Botticelli lived nearly all of his life in Florence where he was both born and died, and he is buried in the parish church on the street where he lived. His father was a tanner turned gold-beater and Botticelli started as a goldsmith's apprentice. At the height of his fame he was amongst the first batch of artists to be engaged on decorating the then newly completed Sistine Chapel, but after his death he became largely forgotten until the Pre-Raphaelites "rediscovered" his work in the 19th Century. A painter of portraits, religious and allegorical works, he is probably best known for his "Birth of Venus."



An image from the RSA collection.