VASARI, Giorgio
(b. 1511, Arezzo, d. 1574, Firenze)

The Birth of Venus

1550s
Fresco
Palazzo Vecchio, Florence

During the reign of Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, the Palazzo Vecchio was transformed, from being merely the seat of the government, it also became the residence of the Lord of Florence. Under the direction of Vasari, the building was divided into parts, an operation which utterly changed its character from being a public edifice to being a noble home. Apartments on the main reception floor were dedicated to the memory of outstanding Medici personalities. On the second floor were the apartments of the Elementi, the elements, with their five rooms and two loggias decorated with symbolic paintings.

The Birth of Venus is symbolizing Water in the Room of Elements.