Titian is one of Italy’s most beloved and famous master painters whose name is still remembered and known by many all over the globe, centuries after his death. Some, however, may not know that Titian was a famous adopted son of Venice. Finding a vacation rental in Venice or a villa in Veneto and coming to visit the city, therefore, is a great idea if you are a fan of his rich and beautiful works or just incredible Italian art in general as you will find many of the best examples in churches and galleries throughout the region. If you want to go on your own little Titian tour of the area or if you were considering a holiday in Veneto anyway but would like to add a Titian twist to the itinerary then read on to discover our ultimate guide to following Titian’s life and career all around this lovely part of Italy...
Discovering All Of The Incredible Pieces In Venice’s Gorgeous Churches
Venice’s gorgeous skyline is dotted by the domes and spires of many extraordinary churches and they make for a stunning backdrop to many travellers’ visits to the city. However, in addition to being well worth a visit due to their own incredible beauty and architectural merit, some of these churches are also the jewellery boxes that contain some of Titian’s most exceptional pieces...
His Assumption of the Virgin, one of the most striking and dramatic of all of his religious works, for example, is located in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. This immense altarpiece is the largest in the city and depicts figures as bigger than life-size but is impressive in its beauty as much as its scale. Influenced by the artists who were working further south and by the great High Renaissance masters, it was a work that initially shocked the Venetian public with its drama and action (something that was quite at odds with the typically sedate tradition in Venetian painting) but was quickly recognised as a masterpiece. In fact, it is this piece that was one of the key works in solidifying Titian’s reputation as one of the great masters of his time and is just one more excellent reason to go ahead and plan that getaway in Veneto if you are a serious art-lover.
The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is actually also home to another Titian masterpiece, the so-called Pesaro Madonna. This piece is an earlier work and was commissioned by Jacopo Pesaro (the Bishop of Paphos, in Cyprus, who was also made the commander of the papal fleet) to be housed in the chapel that his family had acquired in 1518 in the church. Depicting Jacopo in a devotional pose being presented to the Virgin by Saint Peter, the work features a Virgin modelled after Titian’s own wife who would go on to die in childbirth shortly after. Moved and restored after the 2012 earthquakes in the city, the painting was then ultimately reinstalled in its original setting in the church in 2017 in an elaborate ceremony attended by thousands and can still be seen there to this day by those who find a holiday rental in Veneto.
Another church that is home to multiple works by Titian is the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and if you are looking to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to seeing paintings by the artist in one place then it is definitely a must-see! Santa Maria della Salute alone houses: St. Mark Enthroned with Saints Cosmas, Damian, Sebastian and Roch, which is the altarpiece of the sacristy; ceiling paintings of scenes from the Old Testament of David and Goliath, Abraham and Isaac, and Cain and Abel; eight tondi of the eight Doctors of the Church and the Evangelists, in the great sacristy; a Pentecost scene in the nave; and a painting entitled The Descent of the Holy Ghost on the third altar to the left of the entrance.
Some other examples in different churches dotted throughout the city include: his St. John the Almsgiver in the church dedicated to this saint, San Giovanni Elemosinario; his moody and somewhat frightening The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence in the church of I Gesuiti; and his lovely Annunciation scene in the church of San Salvador.
Going On A Treasure Hunt At The Doge’s Palace
Another of the best places to see multiple works by the great artist in one spot in Venice, the Doge’s Palace, a former residence of the city’s ruling Doges, is already well worth visiting in its own right. An architectural gem that is steeped in history and home to endless incredible works of art, the palace also houses lots of wall paintings and other pieces by Titian that are dotted throughout the building. Lining staircases and tucked into little rooms, one needs to keep their eyes peeled as they explore as it would be quite easy to miss some of them! Visiting the Doge’s Palace if you have found a villa in Veneto or a vacation rental in Venice, therefore, is a fun and unique Titian experience as many of his works will be like delightful surprises that are waiting to be found on this very special sort of artistic treasure hunt.
Seeing His Career To The End At The Gallerie dell’Accademia
The Gallerie dell’Accademia was founded as an art school in the 18th century and was an artistic centre in which some of the most famous art teachers ever from all over Italy worked. Today, it continues to house a collection of works by some of its former famous students and teachers and other artists. Among these famous names and remarkable works there are several Titian pieces to be discovered. Perhaps the most notable among these, however, is his Pietà from 1575-1576. One of the last paintings that he ever worked on, it actually remained incomplete after his death and was then ultimately finished with minimal intervention by Jacopo Palma il Giovane. Painted with the intention to be hung over his final resting place, this moody and striking work perfectly represents the distinctly bold and almost impressionistic style of Titian’s later oeuvre. For those really interested in the master’s life and career, it is an unmissable example to seek out while on holiday in Venice.
Delving Into The Wider Veneto Region
Though Titian spent much of his adult life and career in his adopted city of Venice, he was born in the pretty town of Pieve di Cadore that is nestled amongst dense forests and Alpine peaks to the north of the region of Veneto. In addition to his work in Venice and elsewhere, he did have some commissions that ended up in other parts of his home region and those who find a villa in Veneto and are determined to go on a full regional tour of Titian’s works will find a few notable examples outside the capital.
The Scuola del Santo or Scoletta, the historical seat of the Archconfraternity of Sant'Antonio da Padova that is located over the churchyard of the Basilica of Sant'Antonio in Padua and next to the oratory of San Giorgio, is home to three frescoes by Titian that depict scenes of three of the episodes of the Miracles of Saint Anthony of Padua. These scenes include the Miracle of the Newborn, the Miracle of the Healed Foot, and the Miracle of the Jealous Husband. Early works from his career that were executed between April and December of 1511, they represent some of his first great independent commissions.
From around 1520, there is also the Malchiostro Annunciation in the Duomo of the elegant city of Treviso. The chapel is located to the right of the high altar, near the sacristy, and was commissioned by Broccardo Malchiostro, who was secretary to the bishop and humanist Bernardo de' Rossi. The chapel was designed by Tullio of Antonio Lombardo and completed in 1519 and then frescoed by Il Pordenone, with work completed around 1520. Titian’s painting was added some time after this, though we do not have the exact date.
While many of the artist’s most famous works are today located in galleries and museums across the world, he was born in Veneto and worked most of his life in the region. Those, therefore, who really love Titian’s work should definitely find a holiday rental in Veneto and come and follow his career and pieces around the city of Venice and the wider Veneto region in order to truly get a sense of his life and impressive artistic career. One of the greatest masters of Italian Renaissance painting and still one of the most pertinent and fascinating names in the history of art, in general, Titian alone is a brilliant reason to finally plan that dream vacation in Italy you have been thinking about for so long or a repeat visit if you have been before, especially if you are a lover of art and the finer things in life.
