He used the brush like a pen or pencil to outline. He was more interested in making his paintings beautiful in a fantasy way. He died solitary, having painted little or nothing in the last ten years. Who was this famous artist? Botticelli. Thoughtful and intelligent, Botticelli painted many famous masterpieces. Botticelli's real name was: Alessandro Filipepi. He was born in 1445 in Florence, Italy. This was the time of the Renaissance. Botticelli was the youngest of five children. He got his nickname by working with a goldsmith. The goldsmith named it Botticelli, which means “little barrel”. Many other Renaissance people said she had deep-set eyes and flowing curls. But for his friends they also said he was a prankster and a prankster (“WebMuseum” par 2). By the age of 15 he had his own workshop to display his work. ("Historylink" par 2). Furthermore, when he was 15 he was already training with a very popular Renaissance painter. His name was Fra Filippo Lippi (Historylink). Fra Filippo Lippi taught him to mix colors and paint pictures. In 1465 Botticelli built his own studio (“WebMuseum” par 3). In comparison Botticelli and Fra Filippo Lippi are very similar. They both painted a picture that begins with: The Adoration of the... Botticelli's painting: The Adoration of the Maji is a painting of the birth of Christ. Lippi's painting: The Adoration of the Magi is a painting of the Magi. ("FactMonster" par 1). Botticelli spent most of his life in Florence. He painted many images of mythology. His most famous masterpiece was the Birth of Venus (“Artchive” par 2.). He was dedicated to painting only images of mythological beings rather than religious subjects. That's what it was... halfway... he made a big difference in Florence, Italy. He worked for the famous Medici family. The Medici family was very important in the Renaissance. They controlled the city of Florence and were very rich. They respected him very much. Since Botticelli's paintings were known for their poetic feeling, they told a story or showed a famous scene of mythological or religious subject. Masterpieces have never had anything to do with science or nature. Not all the characters were real, they were simply meant to represent a purpose in the painting. Botticelli's master, Fra Filippo Lippi, influenced his life by causing him to start painting pictures. Without his help he would never have learned to paint any of the famous Renaissance masterpieces. He learned about mythological subjects and how to use decorative details. Lippi made him the gifted artist he was.