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The Private Life of a Masterpiece
Season 8 · Episode 2
Sandro Botticelli: The Mystic Nativity
0.050mDecember 25, 2009
It's a painting that lovers of mystery fiction should love. Botticelli's Mystic Nativity is a Renaissance masterpiece crammed with cryptic symbols disguising a dangerous message. But it is much more besides. Painted in 1500, it is a supremely beautiful vision of maternal love, earthly harmony and heavenly ecstasy. However, the painting also has a dark side. Botticelli had to carefully conceal its dangerous meaning, and only a recent chance discovery by a scholar fully unlocked its message.