Biography: Titian

His reputation as a supremely talented painter was established early in his lifetime and has never diminished over the centuries. He was dubbed "the sun among small stars" by Giovanni Lomazzo.

Aug 2

Titian, whose full name is Tiziano Vecellio or Tiziano Vecelli, was the greatest painter of the Venetian school during the Italian Renaissance. Tiziano Vecellio was born in Italy in 1488 or 1490, and he passed away in Venice on August 27, 1576.

His reputation as a supremely talented painter was established early in his lifetime and has never diminished over the centuries. He was dubbed "the sun among small stars," not only among the Italians but among all the painters of the world" by the art theorist Giovanni Lomazzo in 1590.

Since Titian was overly talented in every painting area, his genius is still unquestionably universal. He probed into the human character in his portraits and captured it on brilliantly painted canvases. His religious compositions display the full spectrum of human emotion in his paintings.

He captured the joy and irreverence of the ancient pagan world in his mythological paintings and his depictions of the naked Venus (Venus and Adonis) and the Danae (Danae with Nursemaid), he established a benchmark for sexual excess that has never been surpassed. Other great artists, like Nicolas Poussin and Peter Paul Rubens, paid him the compliment of imitation. (Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.)

Early Years

Titian's exact birth time and date are unknown. When he was older, he claimed to have been born in 1474 in a letter to the King of Spain, but this seems highly improbable. Most modern experts concur that the most likely birthdate is around 1489. Gregorio and Lucia were the parents of Titian. Gregorio managed the nearby quarries for the owners as well as the administration of the Pieve di Cadore palace. Gregorio was a well-known veteran and council member.

Many members of Titian's family, including his grandfather, were notaries, and the line had a good reputation in the area under Venice's control. At eleven, Titian was sent to an uncle in Venice to begin an artistic apprenticeship. Titian and his brother attended Gentile Bellini's workshop, from which they eventually moved to Giovanni Bellini's studio, thanks to Sebastian Zuccato, a less well-known artist. The children of the latter went on to become well-known mosaicists.

The best painters in the city at the time were the Bellinis, especially Giovanni. There, Sebastiano Luciani, Giovanni Palma da Serinalta, and Giorgio da Castelfranco were among the young men Titian met. The elder brother of Titian went on to achieve success as an artist in Venice. A Hercules fresco on the Morosini Palace is considered one of Titian's earliest creations.

Titian assisted Giorgione in his work, but many critics at the time believed Titian's work to be more impressive, such as in the exterior frescoes for the Fondaco Dei Tedeschi that they co-created (which are now almost destroyed). There was a competitive element to their partnership. There is still academic discussion surrounding differentiating their contributions during this time. A sizable portion of attributions shifted from Giorgione to Titian in the 20th century.

The state gave Giorgione a commission to create frescoes for the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, which had been rebuilt around 1508. He worked with Morto da Feltre and Titian, and some of the artworks, most likely by Giorgione, are still in existence. Some of their works have become more well-known thanks to Fontana's engravings. After Giorgione's untimely death in 1510, Titian continued to paint Giorgione-like themes, but his technique developed its characteristics, particularly powerful and expressive brushwork.

In 1512, Titian relocated from Padua to Venice, and in 1513, at the Fondaco Dei Tedeschi, he was awarded La Senseria, a lucrative concession highly sought after by painters. He was given the responsibility of finishing the artworks that Bellini had left unfinished in the large council hall of the Ducal palace when he was appointed project manager for government initiatives.

On the Grand Canal, he opened a studio at S. Samuele, the location of which is currently unknown. Giovanni Bellini's death prevented him from using his patent until 1516. He signed a contract for exclusive artistic rights at about the same time. He received a nice income of 20 crowns from the patent and was also exempt from many taxes. He was required to do so for being paid a fixed fee of eight crowns to paint the successive Doges of his time. In the end, he chose to paint five of the chief justices. (2021)

Mature Period

Titian was an accomplished portrait painter from the beginning of his career. He painted portraits of monarchs or doges, clergy or cardinals, painters or writers. It was asserted that no other artist had been as successful in drawing out from each person's physical attributes so many distinctive and beautiful qualities.

Among painters of portraits, Titian is compared to Velázquez and Rembrandt. The wonderful portrait, the Equestrian Portrait of Charles, is one of Titian's portraits that helped to define a new aesthetic. The arrangement is rich in middle-aged depictions of an idealized Holy crusader and Roman traditions of horse sculpture. Still, the worn form and expression have a nuance of few such depictions approach. Titian was made a Knight of the Golden Spur in 1532 after creating a portrait of Emperor Charles V. It was a rare honor for an artist to have his sons named nobility of the Kingdom. He is regarded as only second to Michelangelo, Raphael, and then Rubens in terms of academic and global achievement during this time.

He received a pension from the marquis del Vasto in 1540 and 200 crowns (later increased) in income from the Milanese treasury. A concession he won in 1542 for delivering grain to Cadore, where he traveled almost yearly and made a significant impact, provided him with an additional source of income because he was constantly mindful of finances.

In 1550, he finished the portrait of Philip II, which was sent to England and played a significant role in Philip's request for Queen Mary's hand in marriage. (2021)

Final Years

Titian passed away on August 27, 1576, from a fever as the plague wracked Venice. Depending on his unknown birthdate, he might have been in his late 80s or early 90s. As initially intended, Titian was buried in the Frari.

Before the Austrian rulers of Venice commissioned Canova to create a substantial monument, there was no memorial at his grave. Through the profusion of work he left behind, Titian has influenced countless generations of artists. A small number of painters, including Rembrandt, Diego Velazquez, Antoon van Dyck, and Peter Paul Rubens, were affected by the great Venetian artist. (Titian Biography, n.d.)