Sixtus II - Sandro Botticelli
Archival giclée
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Description
A portrait of Pope Sixtus II by Sandro Botticelli, originally painted as part of the Sistine Chapel fresco cycle in the 1480s.
This work depicts Pope Sixtus II, a figure from the early Christian church, rendered by Sandro Botticelli as part of the extensive fresco cycle within the Sistine Chapel. The composition is designed to mimic a sculptural niche, featuring a shell-like hood above the figure. This architectural framing creates a sense of depth, placing the pontiff within a simulated stone structure that aligns with the chapel's decorative programme.
Botticelli portrays the Pope in profile, draped in heavy, voluminous robes that display the artist's characteristic attention to linear grace and fabric texture. The figure holds a book, his expression composed and solemn. The colour palette relies on warm, earthy tones, particularly the deep ochre and terracotta hues of the papal vestments, which contrast against the cooler, neutral greys of the surrounding masonry. Below the figure, an inscription provides historical context, identifying the subject and his tenure.
Executed during the artist's time in Rome, this fresco demonstrates the technical requirements of the medium, where the artist had to work quickly on wet plaster. The figure is one of several portraits of early popes commissioned for the upper registers of the chapel walls. Botticelli employs a refined approach to the human form, focusing on the silhouette and the rhythmic folds of the garments. The work remains a clear example of the Florentine style brought to the Vatican, prioritising clarity of line and balanced proportions over the more dramatic lighting effects that would characterise later periods of the Renaissance.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Sixtus II - Sandro Botticelli
Artist Biography
Sandro Botticelli
He worked in Florence under the patronage of the Medici family during the period art historians call the Early Renaissance. The Birth of Venus and Primavera, both painted in the 1480s, are his best-known works and among the most reproduced images in Western art. They are strange paintings. Venus stands on a shell, blown to shore by the wind, her body curved in a way that owes nothing to anatomical reality and everything to Gothic line. Primavera fills a dark orange grove with mythological figures whose feet barely touch the ground.
The paintings are technically tempera on canvas and panel, executed with a fineness of line that reflects his goldsmith training. The outlines are visible. The surfaces are flat compared to the oil-based modelling that Leonardo and other contemporaries were developing. Botticelli was not interested in three-dimensional illusion. He was interested in contour, pattern, and the way a line can describe both a body and an emotion simultaneously.
His later career was affected by the rise of the Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola, who preached against secular art and luxury. Botticelli may have burned some of his own paintings in the Bonfire of the Vanities in 1497. Whether this represents genuine religious conversion or political self-preservation is unclear. His output declined. He died in 1510, largely forgotten, and was not rediscovered until the Pre-Raphaelites championed him in the nineteenth century.
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