Circle of Titian Tiziano Vecellio Pieve di Cadore Antique 16th Century Venetian School High Renaissance Italian Lead Master Oil Painting on Copper Panel The Penitent Magdalene Mary Magdalene In a Cave With the Skull of Adam
Titian Tiziano Vecellio, ("da Cadore"), original antique 16th Century Venetian School High Renaissance oil painting on copper panel of The Penitent Magdalene, in a cave, with the blue cloth of honor, a bible, and the skull of Adam. She appears to be lost in prayer. The skin of the subject appears to have a luminous glowing quality; (almost angelic). The pigments used by the artist are verde green and a blue made of ground blue lapis lazuli into a powder, called "Ultramarine." Ultramarine is a prevalent component of art history and was a very expensive pigment; (costing more than gold per ounce). Very few artists could afford this pigment, and the popular artists that could afford to purchase the pigment for select clients typically used this pigment very sparingly and mixed it in with other pigments, which darkened the shade considerably over the course of the last few centuries. This painting's ultramarine was purely applied, indicating this was a very important painting to the artist. The painting is in very good condition. There is a tiny fleck of missing paint as well as a few other very small chips of paint missing. There have been no restorations/corrections or overpaint; all of the paint is original to the painting, from the artist. The painting has been cleaned of darkened varnish, and given a light layer of varnish. The copper sheet is no longer perfectly flat and has a bit of a curve to the sheet. The painting's measurements are approximately 9.5" X 12.2". The painting is not in the original frame.
Titian, also known as Tiziano Vecellio or Tiziano Vecelli, was an Italian Renaissance painter from the Venetian school. Born in 1488/90 in Pieve di Cadore, Republic of Venice, he is widely regarded as the greatest Italian painter of his time. Throughout his lifetime, Titian's extraordinary talent was recognized and acclaimed, and his reputation has remained untarnished over the centuries. In 1590, art theorist Giovanni Lomazzo even hailed him as "the sun amidst small stars, not only among the Italians but all the painters of the world."
Titian's genius encompassed all aspects of the painter's art, showcasing his greatness in various domains. His portraits delved into the depths of human character, capturing them with striking pictorial brilliance. His religious compositions spanned the entire spectrum of emotions, ranging from the enchanting depictions of youthful Madonnas to the profound and tragic scenes of the late Crucifixion and the Entombment. In his mythological works, he masterfully conveyed the joy and abandonment of the ancient pagan world. Notably, his portrayals of the nude Venus (Venus and Adonis) and Danae (Danae with Nursemaid) set a standard for physical beauty and sensuous eroticism that has never been surpassed. Titian's excellence was such that renowned artists like Peter Paul Rubens and Nicolas Poussin paid him the compliment of imitating his style.
Titian's early life and career were shaped by influential figures and significant collaborations. Born into a modest family, with his father Gregorio di Conte dei Vecelli and his mother Lucia, he grew up in Pieve di Cadore, a village nestled amidst the lofty peaks of the Alps. At the age of nine, he journeyed to Venice with his brother Francesco to live with their uncle and apprentice under Sebastiano Zuccato, a master of mosaics. However, it was under the tutelage of Giovanni Bellini, the preeminent Venetian painter of the time, that Titian truly flourished. His early works reflect the influence of his training and his association with another follower of Bellini, Giorgione of Castelfranco. In 1508, they collaborated on the frescoes of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, marking a pivotal moment in Titian's career. The surviving fragments of the frescoes, particularly the Allegory of Justice attributed to Titian, offer glimpses of the idealism and physical beauty that characterized the works of both artists. Differentiating between Giorgione's and Titian's paintings from this period is challenging due to limited evidence and varying opinions among art critics. Italian writers tended to attribute a disproportionate number of works to Titian during his youth.
Titian's first independent commission was to create frescoes depicting three miracles of St. Anthony of Padua. Among these, the Miracle of the Speaking Infant showcases exceptional composition. Notably, after Giorgione's death in 1510, Titian undertook the task of adding a landscape background to Giorgione's unfinished Sleeping Venus. This fact is documented by contemporary writer Marcantonio Michiel. The landscape in Titian's Baptism of Christ (c. 1515) also bears a resemblance to the lush settings found in Giorgione's works of that time.
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