Sandro Botticelli (circa 1445–1510) is by now an almost household name for those familiar with Western art. Yet one might be surprised to learn that in the few centuries after the Renaissance, artists largely disregarded him as primitive, medieval, and not on par with the perfection achieved by Raphael and Michelangelo. Indeed, it has only…

The information age has also brought about a massive amount of misinformation. There’s so much available information that it’s difficult to know what is true and what is false, and because of this, some of us might fall victim to what we call “fake news.” It’s not only the media that spreads misinformation. A coworker,…

The graceful figure of Venus poised in her shell, as depicted by Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, is so synonymous with beauty that even those unfamiliar with art can recognize her, such is her fame. What is less well-known are his paintings of the Madonna that share similar qualities of classical beauty. Throughout the Renaissance, artists…

The graceful figure of Venus poised in her shell, as depicted by Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli, is so synonymous with beauty that even those unfamiliar with art can recognize her, such is her fame. What is less well-known are his paintings of the Madonna that share similar qualities of classical beauty. Throughout the Renaissance, artists…

Their artworks are icons of Italy and their names are among the most well-known in the art world: Donatello, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Michelangelo. Eager viewers stop and snap photos of the instantly-recognizable paintings, sculptures, and buildings. Displayed in museums around the world, the immortal paintings invite a popular following. What remains obscured in the history books,…