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Pesaro Madonna (Titian)
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| Artist | Replica of Titian's original painting displayed during conservation |
|---|---|
| Year | 1519–1526 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 4.88 m × 2.69 m (16.0 ft × 8.8 ft) |
| Location | Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice |
The Pesaro Madonna (Italian: Pala Pesaro), also known as the Madonna di Ca' Pesaro, is an altarpiece by the late Italian Renaissance painter Titian. Commissioned by Jacopo Pesaro, the painting shows the Pesaro family surrounded by saints being presented to the Virgin Mary. The painting can be found in Venice at the in the Frari Basilica.
Subject Matter
editTitian shows his patron, Jacopo Pesaro, kneeling before the Virgin, presented to her by Saint Peter. Prominently displayed on the step is Saint Peter's key; it is a diagonal plane, leading toward the Virgin, parallels that of Jacopo. The Virgin's position at the top of the steps alludes to her celestial role as Madonna della Scala (Madonna of the Stairs) and the Stairway to Heaven. Even though the Madonna is not in the center, Titian still maintains that she is the focus of the painting. He creates depth in the painting by elevating her on a throne. [1]
The Pesaro family is shown on either side of the Madonna and the Child. Leonardo Pesaro is the only figure shown looking towards the viewer, establishing a connection between the painting and the viewer. Titian creates a division between the Pesaro family and the Madonna and Child by placing the Madonna on a pedestal and the Pesaro family kneeling on the lowest tier. [2] To the right, Saint Francis of Assisi links the five kneeling Pesaro family members to Christ, suggesting that through his own route of identification with Christ's salvation can be achieved. Jacopo Pesaro occupies the attention of much of the figures in the painting. He is the only family member to look directly at the Madonna. [2]
The large red banner at the far left displays the papal arms Jacopo Pesaro's arms. Also displayed is a laurel branch, a symbol of victory. The figure behind Jacopo is thought to be either St. George, St. Mauritius, or an unidentified knight.[2] The figure has two prisoners in tow, a turbaned Turk and a Moor, likely a reference to Jacopo's victory over the Turks in 1502.[2] The positioning of these prisoners suggests that Jacopo is bringing them salvation and introducing them to Christianity. It can be considered a response to the Catholic Church's war with the Ottoman Empire.
The members of the donor's family are motionless. All the other figures gesture energetically and occupy diagonal planes. The steps, surmounted by large columns cut off at the top, are thrust diagonally back into space. Infant angels appear on the cloud above. One seen in rear view holds the Cross. The back of this angel is juxtaposed with the infant Christ, who turns playfully on Mary's lap and looks down at Saint Francis, who returns his gaze. Titian is known for his way of converting texture[3]; this is evident in the fabrics worn by the figures. This attention to material textures is further enhanced by the variation of bright lights and dark accents in the sky. The light of Venice, sparkling in its waterways, seems to illuminate this painting.
Composition
editColumns
editVenetian tradition had the Madonna and the Child placed in the center of a painting. Titian deviated from tradition in Pesaro Madonna by placing the devotional figures to one side of the piece. In place of the typical Madonna, Titian has painted two large columns in the center. Given the historical context and the content of the painting, the columns seem out of place. It has been suggested that the columns were not part of the original piece and instead were added later on; scholars are divided on this claim. Art historian Staale Sinding-Larsen is the most outspoken proponent of this theory.
Scholars who believe the columns to be a later addition point to the lack of iconographic significance.[4] The columns do not fit in with the aesthetics of the rest of the painting. They do not appear to be supporting anything nor are they proportional to the other figures depicted. [4] The imagery created by the columns extending up and into the clouds is seen practiced in the eighteenth century[4], nearly 200 years after Titian painted the Pesaro Madonna.
Asymmetry
editThe asymmetry of the painting can be attributed to the unique positioning of the altar where the Pesaro Madonna is found.[4] The painting is parallel, rather than perpendicular, to the direction a viewer enter to see the piece.[4] This means Titian was not in control of the angle and perspectives with which the painting was going to be viewed. Observers had more room to move.[4] Titian adapted the composition of the altarpiece by making the Madonna oblique and placing the action occurring in the painting towards the bottom, leaving a large swath of space above.
Titian's decision to move the Madonna and Child to the side allowed for a greater sense of movement through the painting, presaging the Baroque period's more complicated compositional techniques. The painting is particularly innovative and shows an example of developed High-Renaissance style, as Titian has used diagonal and triangular principles to draw the viewer's eye up to the Madonna and Child, thus creating hierarchy within the work.
The architectural setting, involving the two large columns (which have been cropped to fit the altarpiece) draw emphasis vertically and to the height of the work; which draws the eye Heavenwards. The outdoors setting suggests that the activity is taking place in a portico, in which the grandeur of the columns somehow belittles the human beings which leave the figures and the viewer almost in awe of the greater implied force.
Restoration
editIn May 2012, an earthquake damaged the altar, windows, and walls around the Pesaro Madonna. Officials worried the unstable stones above and around the painting would fall. They moved the painting to a laboratory where conservators had the opportunity to closely examine it. Examinations showed the surface of the painting needed repair work.[5]
Giulio Bono and Erika Bianchini were in charge of the analysis, which took place between 2013 and 2014. [5]Advanced technology found that high humidity levels were to blame for the flaking on the surface of the painting. In 2016, Bono and Bianchini started restoring the altarpiece. Dirt and other blemishes were removed. Sturgeon glue was used on the areas of the altarpiece that were flaking.
Pesaro Madonna was reinstalled in September 2017. On September 21st, 2017, a celebration of the restoration and return of the altarpiece to its original location. 400 people were in attendance. [6]
References
edit- ^ "Titian: Madonna di Ca' Pesaro". Dec 11, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Ettlinger, Helen S. (1979-03). "The Iconography of the Columns in Titian's Pesaro Altarpiece". The Art Bulletin. 61 (1): 59–67. doi:10.1080/00043079.1979.10787634. ISSN 0004-3079.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Chiswell, Lucy. "How to read a Renaissance painting | Blog | Royal Academy of Arts". www.royalacademy.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ a b c d e f Rosand, David (1971-06). "Titian in the Frari". The Art Bulletin. 53 (2): 196. doi:10.2307/3048830.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Save Venice Inc. | Dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice". Save Venice Inc. | Dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ Artdaily. "Save Venice Inc. restores Titian's Madonna di Ca' Pesaro". artdaily.cc. Retrieved 2023-12-01.