Venus of Urbino by Rona Goffen

Assumption of the Virgin

At a very young age, Titian’s popularity originated with the largest panel painting in the world, Assumption of the Virgin, for the high altar of S Maria Gloriosa dei Frari.  A remarkable artist, Titian, whom was the first to had have an international career from the greatest patrons (who approached Titian), including Charles V and Philip II.  It was Charles V who gave Titian an honorable title, Knight of the Golden Spur, Count of Latern Palace and of the Imperial Consistory; and recognized Titian as a portraitist much like Alexander the Great admired his favorite painter, Apelles.  Known for his painterly brushwork and animated handling of pigment, known as colorito, Titian succeeded in gaining artistic freedom in his compositions (beginning with Philip II), an accomplishment that few artists achieved during the Renaissance.

Venus of Urbino

In 1538, Titian painted Venus of Urbino for Guidobaldo II della Rovere.  It is interesting to know that no other artist had placed a nude woman reclining on a bed in a room decorated with marriage chests in a 16^th century palace as well as a woman directly engaging the viewer.  Additionally, no literary source was the foundation for Titian’s painting, Venus of Urbino, however, many history scholars and researchers in their over interpretation of Titian’s nudes have concluded to conflicting and complementary theories from erotic art to understanding 16^th century women as goddesses or courtesans.  Nevertheless, Titian’s painting does not fit a theory, yet it portrays a traditional association, beautiful women as beautiful art, and in doing so, the artist reveals his own genius.