In the "Primavera," which we are to see at the Accademia, but which must be described here, we find Simonetta again but we do not see her first.

We see first that slender upright commanding figure, all flowers and youth and conquest, in her lovely floral dress, advancing over the grass like thistle-down.

Never before in painting had anything been done at once so distinguished and joyous and pagan as this.

For a kindred emotion one had to go to Greek sculpture, but Botticelli, while his grace and joy are Hellenic, was intensely modern too: the problems of the Renaissance, the tragedy of Christianity, equally cloud his brow.
The symbolism of the "Primavera" is interesting.

Glorious Spring is returning to earth--in the presence of Venus--once more to make all glad, and with her her attendants to dance and sing, and the Zephyrs to bring the soft breezes; and by Spring Botticelli meant the reign of Lorenzo, whose tournament motto was "Le temps revient".