LIFESTYLE . ARTS

Botticelli

52' (GER, ENG subs)

The history surrounding Botticelli’s life and artworks is complex, but he left behind a powerful artistic influence that will last forever.

Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) is an icon and a true source of inspiration for many. The influence of his work can be seen in pieces from artists all around the world. From his works on the female figure, the famous Venus, and the Primavera, he has made his way into the painted and pictorial memory of humanity.
Berlin film author and art historian Grit Lederer takes us along this journey as she traces the complex history of Botticelli. Lederer often visits the impressive collection of Botticelli's pieces in the Gemäldegalerie, and analyzes how his iconic works still influence art and advertising today. Experts explain the unique characteristics of his artistic style and find answers to why he was initially forgotten after his death. Botticelli’s artworks are responsible for inspiring many current-day contemporary artists, such as the French Orlan and the American Michael Joaquin Grey, who demonstrate how they are strongly motivated by Botticelli's art. The result is a film that traces Botticelli’s genius from Florence, Paris, New York, and all the way to Berlin.

Art historian and filmmaker Grit Lederer follows Botticelli's story in Florence, Paris, New York, and Berlin. What is the secret to Botticelli’s paintings? Why was he forgotten for centuries soon after his death? Why did Benito Mussolini send Botticelli's famous works to New York at the beginning of the second World War? Why are Botticelli's astonishing pieces rarely seen today? What was Botticelli’s life actually like?

The archives of the museum of Modern Art in New York hold a variety of documents that explain why many of Botticelli’s masterpieces traveled to the USA in 1939. In the Berlin Kupferstichkabinnet (museum of prints and drawings), Botticelli’s pieces "Heaven and Hell' are revealed, which are rarely shown to the public. In Paris, the world renown artist Orlan demonstrates how much Botticelli’s captivating work inspires her own creations.

For many years, the French artist Orlan has constantly questioned the ideals of beauty. In many of her pieces, she uses her own body as a creative canvas. Another artist inspired by Botticelli is Michael Joaquin Grey. This New Yorker made an incredible video in which a beautiful Renaissance piece is magically deconstructed. Last but not least, the film demonstrates how actor Julia Roberts and singer Lady Gaga are both moved by the Venus de Botticelli.