New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-04-26

b
would have died OF hunger
The substance Of this passage has passed int,
countless books and essays on BotticeIH Patar
for example, whose study OF him in his book NJ,
the Renaissance has had a wide influence speaks
Of him as in later life passing apparently al
most out OF mems sight in a sort OF religious
melancholy" and he adds these reflections: II.
seems strange that he should have lived on in
active so long. and one almost wishes that som.
document might come to light which. fixing tina
date of his death earlier. might relieve one in
thinking OF him. Of his detected old age Mr.
Horne not only satisfies the wish here expressed.
showing that BotticeIi died in 1910 instead O,
1915. the year at which his death had been fixed
when Pater wrote. but. searching out documents
which cannot be gainsaid. presents BOttiCeIH as
purchasing with his brother. in 1874 comfort
able little property the outskirts Of Florence
1t Is asserted that Vasari had no ground
whatever for speaking Of the painter as a man
whose affairs had not prospered. That Botti-
CELL might have been a comparatively rich
man. says Mr.. Horne, Whereas in 1495. as
his 'POrtata shows, he a Comparatively
poor one. Is evident enough 1t not until
1894 that he was possessed of any LANDED
property. the staple security of wealth at that
time. and even then he only acquired what to
all purposes was only a partial and life interest
I'm small estate which cost but 15j fOrini
Iarghi" But at least his state would appear 10
have been very different from that indicated by
Vasari AS Mr.. Horne remarks. lit is inCre,ii-
BILE that Sandro could have come to actual wan:
SO long as he and his brother continued. as they
did to the time of their deaths in the possession
| Of this property; his family. with whom ne
| appears to have lived to the end. remained in
| the condition in which we find them at this
period Also. while the details Of the subject
/ are too complicated to be transferred 10 this
place. it may be noted that. according 70 M
| Horne BotticeIli. though undeniably Influenced
| by Savonarola was not so overwhelmed by the
| teachings of the monk has been supposed:
nor his artistic activities curtailed to the
extent that has been assumed
| Two questions relating 10 his work. which
have capital interest for the student. are han
| died to especially good purpose in this biogra-
| ply In the first place there is the legend that
Botticelli's great picture. the Spring" contains
| in the central figure a portrait of SmOnetta
/ vespucci. and that she posed for him other
| occasions. Mr.. Horne has examined the rec
| ords. which go to prove that Simonetta died BE-
| fore any Of the pictures which are said 70 con-
| tain her portrait done by Botticeln were paint
| ed or even invented He asserts. in fact. that
| no portrait OF this lady is known TO exist. a.
cepting the hypothesis that the beautiful profile
bearing her name at Chantiny is 4 head o,
| Cleopatra by Piero ii Cosino Sentinnentalsts
may find ii hard to give up the pleasure OF link
ing the names Of SimOnetta and B1tticel1. but
| the disinterested student will be grateful 70 w
Horne for his clear exposition OF the facts
| Apropos by the way. may note here that
| BotticeIH was never married and that no woman
seems ever to have had part in his life From
| the "Anonirno Gaddiano" Mr.. Horne cites ira
| story that on one occasion. being pressed y
Messer TorrlrnaSo Soderini TO take 4 wife he r.
| piled 10 him. Il would have you know taat nj
| many nights since it happened TO me that
| dreamed had taken wife, and was SO greL'-
| Iy troubled at the thought OF II that a"oA7'
and in order that might not fan asleep d sec
ond time and dream it over again arose az
| wandered about all night through Florence Lac
one distracted by which SIesser ToulTniso kne"
that that was no soil wherein to plant VIE
yard"
| The second point suSgeStively deVeIopeU =
! Mr. Horne is one which he raises with referee
TO Pater's essay. In that essay our attsAti-n
directed to the peculiar sentiment with "A''
he infuses his profane and sacred perSy->'
| comely and in a certain sense Ike angels '1'
| with sense Of displacement or loss about I-1'
| the usefulness of eXileS. conscious Oh I" pa
| sion and energy greater than any KNOWN s.
| of them explains. which runs through ID 49,