Sandro Botticelli als Apelles und als Grisaillemaler. Petronius' "Monocremos" als Inspiration für die Selbstreferentialität der Malerei?

The article deals with Sandro Botticelli's achievements as a painter of grisaille or monochrome paintings and in particular with his "Calumny of Apelles". I suggest that this painting was inspired by a misreading of Petronius's "Satyricon" ("monocmenos" misread as "monochromos" in manuscripts and early printed editions) and that Botticelli saw himself as a new Apelles. He seems to have believed that Apelles became famous as a painter of monochrome painting. His painting "Calumny of Apelles" is inspired by his believe.