(Leggere in inglese) There is a very romantic leggend that concerns the painter Botticelli and one of his favorite models – Simona Vespuci. In the late 14th century, Guiliano di Piero de Medici was very much in love with Simonetta and commissioned Botticelli to paint “The Birth of Venus“. Simonetta’s beauty was very well known by the people of Florence, to such a degree that they gave her the nickname “the lovely Simonetta“. Some maintain that Botticelli himself was in love with Simonetta, a love which he never declared publicly, but expresses only through the numerous portraits that he made. Other than the famous painting hanging in the Uffizi Gallery, many of the women in the paintings that Botticelli created looked very much like Simonetta. Unfortunately the young Simonetta died tragically of tuberculosis at the tender age of 22. ”The Birth of Venus” was completed in 1485 about nine years after her death, but Botticelli was able to capture her beauty by his memories of her. By request of the famous painter, now Sandro and Simonetta lie in peace side by side in the Ognissanti Church in Florence. To me in the end Botticelli indeed declared in a very big way his love for his beautiful Simonetta. Wanting to lie beside someone for all of eternity is a very big way to say “I love you!”
To celebrate Simonetta’s beauty and to pay homage to Botticelli, a favorite Florentine painter, I created the design at the top of the page. You can fine this design and others on my Matta Designs on Facebook, a new page that I have created dedicated to my designs that are available and for sale in my on-line Zazzle store. If you have a design in mind and wish for me to create something special for an event or party or simply to have a unique memory of Italy, I have happy to do so. I am adding new designs every week and these graphics I refer to as “livable art for your love of Italy and the designs can be applied to cups, mugs, aprons, bags, cell phone covers, t-shirt etc., etc. If you have a special request for a group, party or for any old reason, be sure to contact me!
Don’t forget to join me on my Studentessa Matta Facebook page as well and join in the topic of the week: Pensiero del Giorno. Each week Ylenia Sambati of YL Tour and I post a new discussion topic in which you can weigh in! Come join us!
