Titian's Fame and Influence

Titian’s fame was now well entrenched throughout the rest of Europe which culminated in his first meeting with Charles the 5th whom he made a portrait for in the year 1533. The monarch was so pleased with his work that he was appointed as the court painter and elevated his rank to Count Palatine and Knight of the Golden Spur which was highly unlikely for a painter even with his status at the time. As a result of this, many of his works were sought after by Italian princes such as the Venus of Urbino which he based on a work by his friend Giorgione, substituting his approach of direct sensual appeal to the more resigned and conservative approach of his artist friend.

In the year 1540, he visited Rome and was deeply influenced by Central and North Italian mannerism. He was impressed with the remains of antiquity and of more modern artists such as Michelangelo. He lived for many more years and painted more distinct works that eventually degraded with his age. He ran a busy studio along with many assistants, one of which was his brother Francesco, his son Orazio, and a cousin of his Caesar. Of all his assistants, only Francesco showed potential, but he lacked the eye of a true artist lacking many of his brother’s attributes. He ended his career with the awe inspiring “Pieta” which he intended for his grave. It was finished by Palma Giovane for him for he died in 1576 at the ripe old age of 99, leaving his art behind as testament to his true genius that as described by Lomazzo “as the sun amidst the stars not only with Italians but with the painters of the whole world”.