Titian - Tiziano Vecellio

Titian (Tiziano Vecellio, c. 1488/90–1576) was one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance and the leading figure of the Venetian school. Born in Pieve di Cadore, near Belluno, he trained under Giovanni Bellini and later collaborated with Giorgione, whose poetic approach to color and atmosphere deeply influenced him. By the 1520s, Titian had become Venice’s preeminent painter, sought after by courts across Europe for his mastery of portraiture, mythological subjects, and religious scenes. His early works, such as Assumption of the Virgin (1518) for the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, established his reputation for dynamic composition and luminous color.

Over a long and prolific career, Titian transformed Venetian painting, pioneering techniques of glazing and loose, expressive brushwork that would influence generations of artists from Rubens to Velázquez. His portraits—of figures such as Emperor Charles V, Pope Paul III, and Philip II of Spain—defined the grandeur of Renaissance court imagery, while his mythological masterpieces like Venus of Urbino, Bacchus and Ariadne, and Diana and Actaeon exemplified his sensual yet intellectual treatment of the human form. In his later years, Titian’s palette grew darker and more introspective, culminating in deeply emotional works such as Pietà (c. 1575–76), completed shortly before his death. His legacy endures as a cornerstone of Western art, revered for his innovation in color, form, and psychological depth.