In the present day, we think the pinnacle of art and architecture is the Italian Renaissance, but the concept of the Renaissance is relatively new. For the artists and craftsmen who lived during that time in the Italian states, primarily in Florence, it was just their lives. So how did we come up with the concept of the Renaissance for this era in history? It all started with the rediscovery of a series of drawings by Botticelli and their connections to the great poet, Dante. How did Botticelli’s art bring back an interest in this period, and why does the Renaissance matter in the modern day? Joseph Luzzi discusses the drawings that reignited an interest in this period of Italian art history in his book, “Botticelli’s Secret: The Lost Drawings and the Rediscovery of the Renaissance.”

This is one of those books that I found while perusing the used bookstores. I have noticed myself getting more and more into Italian Renaissance history, specifically about the famous artists of the period. When I saw that this particular book focused on Botticelli and Dante, it was intriguing to me.

We begin in the late 19th century with a man named Friedrich Lippmann and the bid for a collection of drawings that would alter how we view the period known as the Renaissance. These images were over 100 drawings of Dante’s epic The Divine Comedy created by renowned artist Botticelli. To understand the significance of this project, we must go back to the time when the Medicis ruled Florence. Dante would meet and fall in love with his muse Beatrice, the guide to his Divine Comedy. His masterpiece was an instant sensation in Florence, which inspired artists such as Botticelli, to create their own pieces inspired by it, which includes the over 100 drawings by Botticelli. While Dante’s star continued to rise after his death, Botticelli’s story started to decline into obscurity, minus a few notable pieces.

While I found the first part of this book, which was primarily about Dante, the Medicis, and Botticelli, the second part is where I started to lose interest. The second part of the book explores those who helped invent the term Renaissance and why they believed that this artwork was so important to protect and preserve. While I appreciate the amount of research Luzzi did in this section, it felt a bit dry for me. Overall, I think this was a decent book, but while it was called Botticelli’s secret, it was more about Dante’s greatness. If you want a book that explores the origins of the term Renaissance and how Dante inspired Botticelli, I recommend you read “Botticelli’s Secret: The Lost Drawings and the Rediscovery of the Renaissance” by Joseph Luzzi.