The myth of the centaur spans many cultures. This depiction of the centaur comes from the Italian Renaissance artist Botticelli.?

Randolph shows how "engaging" political symbols were grounded in a revolutionary way in amorous discourses that drew on metaphors of affection, desire, courtship, betrothal, marriage, homo- and hetero-eroticism, and procreation."--BOOK JACKET.

Pallas and the Centaur is the second part of ‘The Botticelli Trilogy.’ Following the Pazzi Conspiracy, Florence finds itself at war with Rome and Naples. Lorenzo de' Medici, whose brother was murdered by the Pazzi, has no doubt that he has God on his side. His wife, Clarice, is not so sure. Roman-born and pious she is in every way a medieval woman and believes that the troubles besetting the family are due to Lorenzo's 'heresy', that is, his Platonism. Lorenzo sends her to safety, under the protection of Angelo Poliziano. Powerless against her husband, Clarice sets out to destroy the poet.??The domestic conflicts reflect – in fact, are intimately connected with – world affairs. As Lorenzo's marriage falls apart, so does his hold on the power-politics of Florence and Italy. Events move to dramatic conclusions that explode each character's beliefs and certainties.?The war is not just between Florence and Rome but is a battle between the medieval world and the Renaissance, between superstitious Christianity and Christian Platonism, between faith and reason, between a woman and a man. It is the battle of Juno and Zeus.

Florence's golden child: The Early Renaissance master During Sandro Botticelli's lifetime (1444/45-1510), the influence of his art scarcely reached beyond his native Florence, and following his death he was soon forgotten, to be rediscovered only in the 19th century by the Pre-Raphaelites. Since then, Botticelli has ranked among the greatest of the Renaissance artists. In the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, paintings such as"Primavera" and "The Birth of Venus" are among the foremost attractions for tourists and art lovers. Botticelli's captivating figures of women, his intimate portrayals of the Madonna and Child, and the angelic beauty of his adolescents are famous the world over today. The artist's life and work are explored in this thoughtful and beautifully illustrated study.About the Series: Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art Series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 colour illustrations with explanatory captions

The Sinister Side is the first book to detail the richness and subtlety of left-right symbolism since the Renaissance, and to show how it was a catalyst for some of the greatest works of visual art from Leonardo and Michelangelo to Rembrandt and Picasso. Traditionally, the left side was regarded as evil, weak, and worldly, but with the Renaissance, artists began to represent the left side as the side that represented authentic human feelings and especially love. Writers including Lorenzo de' Medici, Michelangelo, and Winckelmann hailed the supreme moral and aesthetic beauty of the left side. Images of lovers foreground the left side of the body, emphasizing its refinement and sensitivity. In the late nineteenth century, with the rise of interest in the occult and in spiritualism, the left side becomes associated with the taboo and with the unconscious. James Hall's insightful discussion of left and right symbolism helps us to see how the self and the mind were perceived during these periods, and gives us a new key to understanding art in its social and intellectual context.