Titian : and the end of the Venetian Renaissance

Abstract

Titian's works are often seen as embodying the famous tradition of Venetian Renaissance painting. But how "Venetian" was Titian, and can his unique works be taken as truly representative of his adoptive city? This comprehensive new study, covering Titian's long career and varied output, highlights the tensions between the individualism of his work and the conservative mores of Venice. 'Titian and the End of the Venetian Renaissance' argues that Titian's works were self-consciously original, freely and intentionally undermining the traditional, more modest approach to painting in Venice - a position that frequently caused disputes with local artists and patrons. This book charts Titian's early stylistic independence from his master Giovanni Bellini, his radical innovations to the classical altarpiece and his meteoric break from the normal confines of Venice's artistic culture.