The Coronation Of The Virgin c. 1492

Sandro Botticelli made this tempera on panel painting, The Coronation of the Virgin, sometime around 1490 in Florence. Here, the Virgin Mary is being crowned as Queen of Heaven by God himself, surrounded by angels. Below them, we see a host of saints and religious figures witnessing this divine event. The painting is not just a religious depiction, but also a reflection of the prevailing social and political order of Florence at the time. Botticelli was working under the patronage of the powerful Medici family, who used art as a means of legitimizing their rule and promoting their cultural agenda. The Coronation of the Virgin speaks to the important role of the Catholic Church in the lives of Florentines, and its relationship to the ruling elite. The image implies that the Church sanctions secular authority. To understand Botticelli's work more fully, we need to consult historical documents, religious texts, and other artworks from the period. Only then can we begin to appreciate the complex interplay between art, religion, and power in Renaissance Florence.