The Botticelli Code Challenge

What Is The Botticelli Code Challenge? 

For a long time, I’ve felt—like many others—that fine art is largely reserved for the cultural elite. It's a world filled with more Thurston Howells than Gilligans, if you catch my drift. But what surprised me was just how unwilling the art establishment is to even look at undocumented artwork from outside their circles. Not to accept it—just to examine it. Maybe it’s time to bring a little democracy to this “three-hour tour.”

That’s where Poca Venere comes in—a truly remarkable painting discovered in 2018. It’s not just interesting; it clearly surpasses even the most celebrated copy of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. You’d think it would at least raise some curiosity among art scholars and institutions. Instead, the response has been silence.

Over the past four years, I’ve researched this painting extensively, reaching out to museums, universities, and Botticelli experts—only to be met with a consistent lack of interest.

So, I’m turning to people like me—everyday researchers and curious minds—to help democratize the study of fine art. The Botticelli Code Challenge is an open call for help in uncovering the hidden content and deeper meanings in both Poca Venere and Birth of Venus.

If your contributions help move the attribution of Poca Venere forward in a meaningful way, you could be selected as one of up to five research fellows, chosen by Poca Venere, LLC. These fellows will receive a research fellowship and a stake in the painting itself.

Think of it as Highlights Magazine’s “Find the Hidden Presidents” meets Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket. Only this time, the prize is real research, real discovery—and a real chance to be part of rewriting art history.

Read the book and join the Challenge, Amazon or e-Book.