2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
Incomparable and incomparable Simonetta - that's what the first beauty of the Renaissance was called.
Birth of a Muse
Simonetta Vespucci, whose biography is bright and multifaceted, is of interest to art lovers even today.
Becoming a muse for great artists, this girl forever entered the history of the Renaissance. Born in the middle of the 15th century, the beauty, already at the age of sixteen, was married to a relative of the famous discoverer Amerigo Vespucci - Marco. So, nee Simonetta Cattaneo began to be called Vespucci Simonetta. Historical chronicles say that before her marriage, the future muse of many Italian artists saw a lot of grief. She was in exile with her family, but her life changed after her marriage.
Starting a new life
Together with her husband Vespucci, Simoneta moved to his hometown - Florence, in honor of their arrival, even a chic feast was organized in the royal palace.
According to contemporaries, Vespucci Simonetta had a meek and sweet character, was not a scandalous person at all andnever gave her husband a reason to be jealous. She even managed to avoid such a common phenomenon at all times as the envy of court ladies. Simonetta's sweet and charming personality simply didn't give them any reason to be angry with her. This, in principle, was rather strange, since all the noble men of that time simply went crazy with the incredible beauty of the girl.
Famous fans
Her favor was sought by many high-ranking officials, including the ruler of the city, Lorenzo the Magnificent and his younger brother. Because of this hobby, there was even a rather scandalous episode during which the image of Simonetta Vespucci was depicted on the symbols of Giuliano Medici, who chose her as the lady of his heart. On the flag, Simonetta was represented as Pallas Athena. In one hand she held the head of the Gorgon Medusa, and in the other - a shield and a sword. By the way, this banner also belonged to the brush of the famous Sandro di Botticelli, but, unfortunately, it has not survived to this day. Having won the tournament, Giuliano proclaimed Simonetta the queen of the tournament. This event was marked by the appearance of a poem written by the court poet Poliziano. Pretty strong publicity for the romantic relationship of Simonetta Vespucci and the Young Prince - that's what Giuliano was called. This relationship was known throughout the court.
Sudden death
The young beauty did not live long after the tournament. Simonetta Vespucci, whose cause of death was infection with consumption, passed away quite young. Beauty has left the worldthe age of twenty-three. It was a strange coincidence that on that very day, April 26, exactly one year after the death of Simonetta, her admirer, the beautiful Giuliano, was also killed.
The correspondence of her father-in-law with Lorenzo the Magnificent testifies to the deepest concern for the he alth of the girl on the part of the nobility. The latter was very worried about the state of her he alth. Vespucci Simonetta was under the supervision of a doctor sent by Lorenzo, one of the best at that time. However, even the eminent Aesculapius could not pull the girl out of the mortal shackles.
No less rumors went around the beauty's funeral. Simonetta Vespucci, whose cause of death was known to everyone, was carried from home to the crypt in an open coffin. At the same time, despite the fact that her death came from consumption, even posthumously she amazed everyone with her beauty. At the sight of her, many recalled the saying of the great Petrarch: “Death is beautiful on this beautiful face…”.
Vespucci Simonetta is buried in the family chapel in Florence, her husband, having married for the second time, named his son after Giuliano, an ardent admirer of his wife.
Eternal life in great canvases
Despite such an early departure from life, she managed to leave vivid memories of herself. What is the creation of Botticelli worth - Simonetta Vespucci became his muse for many years.
The famous artist was admitted to Vespucci's house, they say that from the moment when the artist first saw Simonetta, all Venuses and Madonnas painted by the great artist's brush had her face. Whereinit should be noted that Vespucci Simonetta never posed for Botticelli. He painted all the pictures from memory, many of them appeared after the death of the beauty. It was her face that was forever imprinted in the memory of a genius, becoming the embodiment of ideal beauty. It is very strange that not a single portrait of Simonetta Vespucci painted from life has been preserved in history.
It is also unknown if he existed at all. A very surprising circumstance, given that the unsurpassed beauty of Simonetta so attracted the views of her contemporaries. Some canvases are associated with the girl, but they appeared years after her death and undoubtedly bear the idealizing fantasy of the authors. For example, on the canvas of Piero de Cosimo, she is depicted in the guise of Cleopatra. The painting “Portrait of a Young Woman” is also controversial. Some art historians consider it to be the creation of Botticelli, while others attribute the authorship to Jacopo del Sellaio. The canvas, somewhat similar to the previously described "Cleopatra", claims to be a portrait of Simonetta, but this fact is completely unconfirmed.
Unearthly beauty or myth?
Now it is impossible to say unequivocally how beautiful Simonetta Vespucci really was. Some art historians attribute to her an excessively large nose and protruding belly. However, whether this was really so, we no longer know, and the image of Simonetta, left to us by great artists, presents an unusually sweet and tender girl with sadness in her eyes - the Beautiful Simonetta Vespucci.
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