The misaligned gaze of Venus in Sandro Botticelli‘s celebrated masterpiece, The Birth of Venus, has fueled centuries of speculation and discussion.
The painting is widely believed to have been inspired not only by the Roman goddess but also by Simonetta Vespucci, a celebrated Florentine beauty who captivated Renaissance Italy and is thought to have held a special place in the artist’s imagination.
She passed away tragically young at just 23 years old in 1476. For generations, historians believed tuberculosis was responsible for her premature demise.
