The Bijoux Parlour

Hourglass pendant by The Bijoux Parlour

This Memento mori token is inspired by mourning and sentimental jewelry, with the hourglass representing the passage of time and the shortness of life.

The birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli keychain by The Bijoux Parlour

Sandro Botticelli created the Birth of Venus at a time when Christian and particularly the Catholic faith was winding down and Greek mythology took over as the inspiration. The Birth of Venus is a large canvas, sensual in nature that Botticelli completed in 1486.

Rather daring, Botticelli produced a nude painting at a time when Christianity was the main influence and inspiration. Nudity was definitely out of the question, much less if frozen in time for all and sundry to see!

The main subject in Botticelli is Venus, the goddess of love, standing demurely on a seashell. Zephyr the god of the west wind is seen blowing her ashore while carrying either Aura or Chloris, nymphs of the wind and spring, and blossoming flowers respectively. As Venus is blown ashore, Horae, goddess of the seasons is on standby with a cape to cover the newborn god Venus. She’s seen holding the cape out.

When the ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’ was lit in 1497, mirrors, artworks, jewelry, dice, rings and any other items believed to promote sin were tossed into a seven-story furnace and destroyed. This was a purge instigated by Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola and championed by Christians. While the Birth of Venus from Botticelli out rightly falls in the category of the purge items for its nudity, it was spared. Perhaps Botticelli, who was amongst the Christians purging and even tossed some of his items into the furnace found it too grand to just burn?

The Birth of Venus is a beloved example of Renaissance art. It continues to be influential and puts to shame the sometimes ridiculous beauty standards society enforces on women. Botticelli did not live long enough to see the success of his work as they were overshadowed by High Renaissance artists. However, his works, including The Birth of Venus earned the fame they deserved in the 19th century.

The Birth of Venus was Botticelli’s most respected work of art. You can see it at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.