Did you know that Botticelli’s famous painting of the Birth of Venus was set in Portovenere? According to many art critics, the famous fifteenth-century painting was set in the Gulf of Poets, specifically in the small village of Fezzano, which is a fraction of Portovenere.
Why do art scholars believe that Botticelli’s Venus was born in Portovenere?
For two main reasons.
One is that, with a careful examination of the landscape behind Venus, you can recognize the Gulf of La Spezia with the promontories of Fezzano, of Pezzino-Le Grazie and of Varignano, with even Palmaria Island in the background.
The other reason is that Florentine painter Sandro Botticelli was fascinated by Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci, a beautiful Italian noblewoman who became not only his muse but was allegedly the model for other painters too. Even though officially Genoese by birth, Simonetta was a native of Fezzano, which still has the ruins of her family’s home, Villa Cattaneo. The Gulf of Spezia became one of Botticelli’s favorite places, both because of his vicinity to Simonetta and of its beautiful landscape. Simonetta died suddenly in 1476, when she was just 23 years old, probably due to tuberculosis. Botticelli painted the famous Birth of Venus around 1484–1486.
About Fezzano
The village of Fezzano is part of the municipality of Portovenere, located between the fractions of Le Grazie and Cadimare. It has a very charming marina and the typical features of a Ligurian village, with narrow ‘carruggi’ lanes and tall and brightly colored buildings. In the historic centre, in addition to the ruins of the abovementioned Villa Cattaneo, you will find the Church of San Giovanni Battista. It was built in 1740 and decorated with Baroque altars and an organ by famous Genoese organ-maker Luigi Ciurlo. The Church is home to some famous paintings by local painter Giuseppe Tori and a statue by Anton Maria Maragliano.
Fezzano is one of the thirteen villages that participate in the annual Palio del Golfo. San Giovanni Battista is the local patron saint, which is celebrated every June 24th.
You can reach Fezzano with a panoramic 10-minute drive from Portovenere or La Spezia. If you like hiking, there is a trail called “Il Sentiero nel Bosco” that takes about 1 hour and a half to complete. You can find more information on the itinerary and whether it’s open (depending on weather conditions) by contacting the Parco Naturale Regionale di Porto Venere (+39) 0187-794830 gabriele.benabbi@comune.portovenere.sp.it.
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