The incomparable and incomparable Simonetta - this is what the first beauty of the Renaissance was called.
The birth of the muse
Simonetta Vespucci, whose biography is bright and multifaceted, is of interest to fans of art today.
Having become a muse for great artists, this girl forever entered the history of the Renaissance. A beauty born in the middle of the 15th century, 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. Together with her family, she was in exile, but after marriage, the girl’s life changed.
The beginning of a new life
Together with her husband Vespucci, Simoneta moved to his hometown of Florence, in honor of their arrival, a chic feast was even organized in the royal palace.
According to contemporaries, Vespucci Simonetta had a meek and sweet character, was not at all a scandalous person and never gave her husband reasons for jealousy. She even managed to avoid such a widespread phenomenon at all times as the envy of
court ladies. Simonetta’s sweet and charming character simply did not 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
Many high-ranking officials, including the ruler of the city of Lorenzo the Magnificent and his younger brother, sought her favor. Because of this hobby, there was even a rather scandalous episode during which the image of Simoneta Vespucci was depicted on the symbols of Giuliano Medici, who chose her as the lady of her heart. On the flag, Simonetta was represented in the form of Athena Pallas. In one hand she held the head of the Medusa of the Gorgon, 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, has not survived to this day. Having won the tournament, Giuliano proclaimed Simonetta the queen of the tournament. This event was marked by the birth of a poem that came out from under the pen of the court poet Poliziano. Quite a strong publicity for the romantic relationship of Simonetta Vespucci and the Young Prince - so called Giuliano. This relationship was known to the whole court.
Sudden death
The young beauty did not live long after the tournament. Simonetta Vespucci, whose cause of death was the infection with consumption, passed away very young. The beauty left the world at the 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 also testifies to the profound concern for the girl’s health from the side of the nobility. The latter was very worried about her state of health. 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 from the deadly fetters.
No less talk went around the funeral of the beauty. Simonetta Vespucci, whose cause of death was known to everyone, from the house to the crypt was carried in an open coffin. At the same time, despite the fact that her death came from consumption, even posthumously she hit everyone with her beauty. At the sight of her, many recalled the statement of the great Petrarch: "Death is beautiful in the face of this beautiful ...".
Vespucci Simonetta is buried in a family chapel in Florence, her husband, having married a second time, called his son by the name of his wife's ardent admirer - Giuliano.
Eternal life in great canvases
Despite such an early departure from life, she managed to leave vivid memories of herself. What is worth the work of Botticelli - Simoneta Vespucci became his muse for many years.
The famous artist was entering Vespucci's house, they say that from the moment the artist first saw Simonetta, all Venus and Madonnas, painted with the brush of the great artist, had her face. It should be noted that Vespucci Simonetta never posed for Botticelli. He painted all the paintings from memory, many of them appeared after the beauty’s death. It was her face that was forever imprinted in the memory of a genius, becoming the embodiment of ideal beauty. Very strange is the fact that not a single portrait of Simonetta Vespucci, written from nature, has been preserved in history.
It is not known whether he even existed. A very surprising circumstance, given the fact that the unsurpassed beauty of Simonetta so attracted the views of contemporaries. Some paintings are associated with the girl, however, they appeared already years after her death and undoubtedly bear the idealizing imagination of the authors. For example, on the canvas of Pierrot de Cosimo, she is depicted her in the guise of Cleopatra. The picture “Portrait of a Young Woman” is also controversial. Some art historians consider him the creation of Botticelli, while others attribute the authorship to Jacopo del Sellayo. The canvas, in something similar to the Cleopatra described earlier, claims to be a portrait of Simonetta, but this fact is completely unverified.
Unearthly beauty or myth?
Now it is impossible to unequivocally state how beautiful Simonetta Vespucci was in reality. Some art historians attribute to her an excessively large nose and a protruding belly. However, whether this was so in reality, we can no longer find out, and the image of Simonetta, left to us by great artists, presents the eyes of an unusually sweet and tender girl with sadness in her eyes - the Beautiful Simonetta Vespucci.