Subscribe
Search
ePaper
Newsletters
Subscribe
ePaper
Newsletters
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Search
Diary
blog

The Birth of Venus in bottle tops—courtesy of Bottlecelli

Supermarket chain Lidl commissioned a new version of the 15th-century masterpiece

The Art Newspaper
5 April 2024
Share
Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus has been recreated in Glasgow’s west end—though, given the chilly climate, it may turn out to be the death of Venus

Photo: Lidl

Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus has been recreated in Glasgow’s west end—though, given the chilly climate, it may turn out to be the death of Venus

Photo: Lidl


There’s Botticelli and then there’s Bottlecelli. Get ready for a 21st-century Old Master of shopping, courtesy of the supermarket chain Lidl, which commissioned a new version of The Birth of Venus (around 1485) made from… bottle tops. The permanent 25ft-high mural, unveiled in the west end district of Glasgow, is made of 253,000 plastic bottle caps recycled through Lidl’s return scheme. (Until August, shoppers will receive 5p for each item they return.) The piece, which has the Bottlecelli moniker, was made by the artist Smug and the street art organisation Yardworks. Smug has gained notoriety for his imposing, lifelike pieces dotted around the city, including an eye-popping image of the television character Rab C. Nesbitt, which was unveiled on the façade of a barber shop late last year, giving Glaswegians a smile.


DiarySandro BotticelliGlasgowMurals
Share
Subscribe to The Art Newspaper’s digital newsletter for your daily digest of essential news, views and analysis from the international art world delivered directly to your inbox.
Newsletter sign-up
Information
About
Contact
Cookie policy
Data protection
Privacy policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Subscription T&Cs
Terms and conditions
Advertise
Sister Papers
Sponsorship policy
Follow us
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
LinkedIn
© The Art Newspaper