Birth of Venus

A flower does not choose its colour; its beauty is the desire of others.  In 1486, Sandro Botticelli painted his The Birth of Venus. The face of his Venus was famously inspired by Simonetta Vespucci, as were many of the other women in his paintings. Upon his death Botticelli was buried at the feet of Simonetta, his paintings forgotten for 300 years. Victorian tourists rediscovered Botticelli in the mid 1800's on their Grand Tours of The Continent. Englishman Alexander Barker bought a number of Botticelli paintings back to England where they were sold to the National Gallery after his death. Botticelli's legend was reborn, as was his love for Simonetta Vespucci, the great Renaissance beauty, fêted by all Florence and vied for by two Medici brothers during her short life.