a young painter named Sandro Botticelli

一位叫桑德羅‧波提切利的年輕畫家

to paint an altar piece.

來畫一幅聖壇圖像

Botticelli would, of course, become known

當然波提切利之後會成名

as one of the greatest painters of the High Renaissance,

為盛期文藝復興偉大畫家之一

producing works like "La Primavera"

創作出像《春》

and "The Birth of Venus."

及《維納斯的誕生》等作品

But, in 1469, he had not yet earned this reputation.

但在 1469 年他尚未贏得此聲譽

The scene this young artist set out to paint was well-known:

眾所周知這位年輕畫家要畫的主題：

the Three Wise Men, or Magi,

東方三博士，又稱賢士

arriving at the birth place of Jesus Christ.

到耶穌誕生處朝拜的故事

Botticelli would aspire to take this common theme

波提切利渴望藉此常見的主題

and produce an entirely original work,

畫出全新的原創作品

while asserting himself

使他自己

among the most important citizens of Florence.

能在佛羅倫斯重要人物中獲得名聲

Many earlier paintings illustrate the Magi

很多早期畫作呈現三博士

arriving at a stable, stately manger,

抵達一座馬廄，華麗的馬槽朝聖

fitting for the son of God.

很符合神子的身份

The young Botticelli, however, chose

而年輕的波提切利卻選擇

to place the scene in the dilapidated Roman ruin.

把場景放在殘舊的羅馬廢墟

At the center of this structure,

他在構圖的中心

he placed a sturdy rock for Mary and Jesus

放了塊堅固的磐石讓聖母瑪利亞及耶穌

to sit high above their visitors.

高坐在訪客之上

With this decision, Botticelli seemed to say

波提切利的這個決定好像在陳述

Christianity will be built on sturdier stuff than Rome.

基督教建立在比羅馬更穩固的基礎上

Botticelli then populated the space

然後波提切利把空間

with important men from his city.

填上幾位來自他城市的重要人物

On the right side, he paints the man

他在右邊畫了

who paid for this work, Gaspare del Lama,

資助這幅作品的人加斯帕雷‧德拉瑪

looking out at the viewer

面朝外看著觀畫人

and confidently pointing at himself

並且很有自信地指著自己

so that there is no question

所以毫無疑問

who is responsible for this masterpiece.

誰負責這幅傑作

Though born the son of a barber,

德拉瑪雖然出生為理髮師之子

del Lama amassed a good sum of money

他一生從貨幣兌換行當

through currency exchange in his lifetime.

積聚了很大一筆財富

He earned enough money to buy a burial chapel

他的錢夠他買一座墳堂

and decorate it with a pretty painting.

並裝飾以美麗的壁畫

The Three Wise Men appear at the center of this painting,

那三位賢士出現在畫作中央

kneeling to Mary and Jesus.

跪在瑪利亞及耶穌腳前

As models for these important figures,

這些重要人物的模特兒

Botticelli used members of the important Medici family.

波提切利使用了重要的梅第奇家族成員

Del Lama's career as a money changer

德拉瑪的事業做為貨幣兌換商

would not have been possible

沒有強大的梅第奇家族幫助

without the help of the powerful Medici family,

是不可能發生的

in particular Cosimo de' Medici,

特別是科西莫‧德‧梅第奇

who appears prominently at Mary's feet.

他出現在瑪利亞腳前顯眼的位置

The other wise men can be identified

其他的賢士的身分則為

as Piero and Giovanni de' Medici,

皮耶羅及喬瓦尼‧梅第奇

Cosimo's two sons.

科西莫的兩位兒子

The business of money exchange

貨幣兌換這行業

had dubious ethical and legal associations,

遊走在道德及法律邊緣

so the friendship of this powerful family was important.

所以與權勢家族交朋友是很重要的

And the young heir to Medici power, Lorenzo,

而年輕的梅第奇權勢繼承人羅倫佐

could not be omitted from this painting's composition.

也不能從這幅畫的構圖中省略

He appears to the left of the manger.

他就出現在馬廄的左邊

This painting seems to say

這幅畫似乎在說

the Medici legacy, with its many healthy heirs,

梅第奇傳奇因著多位健康的繼承人

will be built on sturdier stuff than Rome.

會建立在比羅馬更堅固的東西上

Botticelli then filled the rest of the space

然後波提切利把其餘的空間

with other friends and powerful figures from Florence.

以其他佛羅倫斯的朋友及權能者填滿

And, among the Florentine elite,

而在佛羅倫斯精英中

the young, confident artist painted himself

這位年輕自信的藝術家畫他自己

looking directly at the viewer.

直直的朝著觀畫人看

Botticelli's presence in this painting

波提切利在這幅畫的存在

illustrates a radical shift in the perception

描繪出這段時間對藝術家

of artists during this time period.

觀感的劇烈改變

Botticelli did not view himself

波提切利並不視自己為

as a common craftsman hired for a simple job.

普通工匠，被雇來做簡單工作

He viewed himself as a friend

他視自己為一個佛羅倫斯

to the powerful families of Florence.

權勢家族的朋友

Paintings like "The Adoration of the Magi"

畫作如《賢士來朝》

reveal much more than a simple retelling of a biblical story.

透露出的意義比單純複述一段聖經故事還要多

They can tell the story of, among other things,

這些畫作可說是在講

a modestly-born money changer

一位平凡出身的貨幣兌換商

attempting to spend his money virtuously

試圖把錢花在良心事上

by making a local chapel more beautiful,

使地方教堂更美的故事

or the story of an ambitious young painter,

或一位有野心的年輕畫家

elevating the reputation of his craft

把自己的工藝聲譽提高

to stand among the wealthy elite of his city.

使他與城市中的財富精英齊名