Customer Reviews

Botticelli: Images of Love and Spring (Pegasus Library)

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It is one of the nicest surprises in terms of Botticelli scholarship. The author (an illustrious Leonardo scholar) is trying to interpret a number of paintings on which there is already quite a lot of bibliography, and does a pretty good job. My only complaint is the fact that sometimes I wish he would deepen and extend his very interesting comments (the book has 128 pages and 72 illustrations, usually taking up the space of a page, so there is not a whole lot of text, and the fonts are pretty big). So, if you are looking for interesting theories concerning Botticelli's mythological paintings, than this is one of the books for you. If you're looking for books with nice pictures, there are better ones available (this one is smallish, and because of the format, although has nice details, the main pictures do not generally fit on a single page).

This is a good book to start with to learn about Botticelli. It says it has 57 color images (72 total), but many are details of the same works, or related works by other artists. 6 most famous paintings are focused on. The text is pretty interesting, including some art history and explanations of those works. But the small size of the book (about 10 inches high), doesn't allow detailed reproductions. Basically, this is a great book to own if you would rather not pay (the money) for a more complete book, or if you prefer lighter reading. I found "Botticelli: Images of Love and Spring" a pleasant surprise.

After reading this book I went to the Uffizi and saw Botticelli in a new light. His writing leads you through the paintings as if you are unravelling a mystery, giving you insight that a modern viewer would otherwise never have. The book is both wonderfully concise and substantial, with details, illustrations, references to the cultural of some of the most beautiful and well-known paintings in the world.