Dedicated to the latter half of the XV Century and to Sandro Botticelli. From left to right as far as the door: the most significant collection of the works of Sandro Botticelli, typical representative of the humanistic Florence of Lorenzo the Magnificent and of Poliziano. Filippino Lippi painted the delicate Selfportrait and the incisive Portrait of an Old Florentine. Between the luminous and musical Madonna of the Magnificat and the melancholy Madonna of the Pomegranate, both of around 1480, one can admire the celebrated Birth of Venus, which the artist painted on canvas (1486), idealising the beautiful and fragile Simonetta, beloved of Giuliano the brother of Lorenzo the Magnificent.
This is a rhythmic creation with delicate colouring rendered with the cold tones of a marine dawn, inspired by Poliziano's verses. On the right , the Minerva with the Centaur, a subject of classical inspiration, an allegorical representation of "knowledge which dominates strenght".
The following works in small format include the well-know Calumny, which Botticelli is said to have painted when incited by Savonarola's sermons. The scene is represented under the static architecture of a beautiful classical portico, with in the background a strech of open sea beneath a serene sky. The compact group of figures lends a vigorous animation to the scene in which even the statues in the niches seem to partecipate. In this drama alluding to human injustice King Midas, with ass'ears, sist on the throne listening to the very worst of counsellors, Ignorance and Suspicion. The hooded man is Calumny who raises his hand towards the foolish King to add solemnity to what he is about to say.
Envy, Deceit and Hypocrisy are the three woman dragging the Innocent victim before the King. On the left is Remorse , under the sembiance of an old man, hooded, dazzled by the sight of the naked Truth who gazes serenely towards Heaven. Next, one can admire the Allegory of Spring. The lyrical scene which is set in the fresh green forest, is dominated by the bright clothed figure of Venus genitrix.
One the right are the figures of Spring stewing flowers and Flora followed by Zephyr. On the left, the famous Three Graces who, seen through their transpared veils, begin to dance while being shot at with arrows by the blindfolded Cupid, and the figure of Mercury clearing away the last of the morning mist.
On the left of the door, the Adoration of the Magi (1475), where three generations of the House of the Medici can be seen, idealised, among the personages: Cosimo the Elder at the top, at the bottom the two sons Piero and Giovanni; lowed down on the left, Lorenzo the Magnificent learning on his sword (representing power); on the right dark-haired Giuliano who loved the lovely Simonetta. The figure in the yellow robe is believed to be a selfportrait of Botticelli.
On the easel beyond the door, St. Jerome, the work of Botticelli's principal pupil Filippino Lippi, son of Fra' Filippo. This part of the room is dominated by the great Portinari Triptych by Van der Goes. Painted in Bruges (1476-78) for Thomas Portinari, representative in that city of the Medici Bank.
In the central panel Adoration of the Shepherds; on the left panel St. Anthony and St. Thomas, with the commissioner himself and his two sons; on the right panel, St. Margherita and St. Mary Magdalen with Maria Portinari and her daughter. This work is justly famous for the subtle and poetic human observation of the figures and of Nature, rendered with subtle and complex shading of colour. Splendid figures in chiaroscuro representing the Annunciation are painted on the rear panels of the left and right leaves of the triptych, which were normally kept closed to protect the central painting. Behind the triptych is the Deposition by Rogier Van der Weyden, painted, it is believed, during his stay in Italy.
Displayed on the surrounding walls, on the other hand, are works by Lorenzo di Credi, (Venus), Ghirlandaio (Adoration of the Magi and the predella with Stories of Saints), and again Filippino Lippi, the Altarpiece of the Eight and the Adoration of the Magi; Florentine artists who, in various ways, and to different extend felt the fascination of Flemish painting. Continuing the tour of his room we find other Botticelli works, the grandiose Altarpiece of St. Barnabas and the small panel representing St. Bernardino in the Study. Near the door, the enigmatic Portrait of a young Man with a medal of Cosimo the Elder, perhaps the artist's brother.
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