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TItian was Born at Ladore, a little Town upon the River Piave, in the Year 1480; the Name of his Family was Vecelli, of the best of the place; about ten years old, he was sent to an Uncle he had at Venice; who seeing him much inclined to painting, placed him with Gian Bellino, a fa∣mous painter of those days: The painters of Lombardy and those parts, had not any Statues
or Works of the Antients to draw by; there∣fore to help themselves, they used to Design after the Life, but in a Manner so flat and stiff, that their Works had little or no Grace; and Titian learned this Manner first, and was a great Proficient in it. But about the Year 1507, Giorgione being come to Venice, Titian ad∣miring his Manner, full of Strength, left his old Master's way, and imitated this new one with so much success, that his pictures were often taken for Giorgione's; which caused no small Emulation between them; particular∣ly, when Giorgione having undertaken one Front of the Fondaco di Tedeschi, the other was given to Titian; for there he behaved him∣self so admirably, that one day, some Gen∣lemen of Venice meeting with Giorgione, and not knowing that any but himself was employed in that work, they gave him joy of his good success, particularly on that side towards the Merceria, telling him, that he had out-done that which was towards the Canal Grande:
which so vexed Giorgione, that before the work was quite finished, he hid himself for several days in his House, and from that time for∣wards renounced all Friendship and Acquain∣tance with Titian.
Such beginnings could promise no less than an extraordinary Success in the Art; particu∣larly, if Titian had added that great Skill of managing Colours, the Study of Designing after the Antique; for want of which, his Works are often defective in Correctness of Design: but however, the beauty of his Colouring is un∣imitable, no Painter having ever been so rare a Colourer of the Beauties of Nature in all kinds.
About this time Gian Bellino, Titian's Master, being dead, and having left a Story unfinished in the Sala del gran Concilio; which is that, where the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa is up∣on his Knees before Pope Alexander, who puts his Foot upon his Neck: Titian undertook to finish it; and having changed a great deal of his Master's Design, he drew there by the Life
many Senators, and others of his Friends then living, using in that the Liberty of a Lombard Painter; for it was not probable those Persons there drawn, could be present at the passage of the Story there represented. This piece was so well liked, that the Senate for a Reward, bestowed upon him an Office called La Sense∣ria, of about three hundred Crowns a year: which Office they always used to bestow up∣on the best Painter of their City, upon condi∣tion, that he shall make the Doge's Picture for the price of eight Crowns, to be payed by the Doge himself: Which Picture is to be placed afterwards in the Pallace of St. Mary.
About the year 1514, Alphonso, Duke of Fer∣rara, sent for Titian to finish likewise a Room which had been begun, and pritty well ad∣vanced by Gian Bellino: there remained two pieces to be done; which Titian showed all the Skill he could in: the one was a kind of Baccanat, or Dance, of Men and Women drunk and singing, amongst which is one naked Wo∣man asleep, of such exquisite Beauty, that she
seems to be alive: and in this piece Titian wrote his Name: the other contains a great many Cupids and Boys in different Aptitudes, about an Altar that has the Statue of Venus upon it.
Upon the Door of an Armory Titian drew likewise the picture of our Saviour, to whom a Jew is showing the piece of Caesar's Coyn; which Head, and the pictures mentioned be∣fore, are reputed by all Artists the best things that ever Titian did; and he was accordingly, most liberally rewarded by the Duke of Fer∣rara.
Being returned to Venice, he drew his fa∣mous piece of Saint Peter Martyr in the Church of S. Giovanni Epolo; there you may see the Saint something bigger than the Life, fallen upon the Ground in a Wood, and attacked by a Souldier, who has so wounded him in the Head, that the horrour of Death is painted upon his Face; while his Companion flying, shows as much Apprehension in his; in the Air are two Angels invironed with sudden
Glory, which enlightens the Landskip; which is most admirable: and indeed, this piece is the most Celebrated of any he ever did, as being the best understood of all his Works.
In the Year 1530, Charles the Fifth, Empe∣rour of Germany, being come to Bologna, Titian by the means of Pietro Aretino, his good Friend, was sent far to draw the Emperour; of whom he made an Admirable picture, all in Ar∣mour, and was rewarded with a present of a thousand Crowns: and not long after, being returned to Venice, and having made there a most excellen piece of the Annuntiation; for which Titian demanded five hundred Crowns; they for whom it was made, refusing to come up to his price, he, by the advice of Aretin, sent it as a Present to the Emperour, who sent him two thousand Crowns in Re∣turn.
Not long after, the same Emperour com∣ing from Hungary, met Pope Clement the Seventh at Bologna, and there he again sent for
Titian, who again made his picture, and that of Cardinal Hyppolito of Medicis: both which are preserved among the Duke of Florence his Rarities. He drew likewise at the same time, Alphonso Davalo's, Marquess Del Guasto, and his Friend Pietro Aretino: and here he was brought to the presence of Frederick Gonzaga, Duke of Mantoua, whose picture, and his Brother the Cardinal's he likewise made; the Duke carried him to Mantoua; where he made the Heads of the Twelve Caesars; under every one of which Giulio Romano made afterwards a Story.
In the Year 1546, he was invited to Rome by Cardinal Farnese; whose picture and the Pope's, with that of Duke Octavio of Parma, he drew at length; and they are admirable pieces. While he was at Rome, being one day visited by Michaeel Angelo and Vassari, he showed them a Danae, a most dilicate Naked Figure for Co∣louring and Tenderness, but not perfectly well Designed; which made Michael Angelo say afterwards, that if Titian had had his Begin∣ning in the School of Rome, he would have proved the greatest Painter of his Age; having
a great Genius, and much Spirit and Vivacity, but he wanted Correctness. He was highly re∣warded by the Pope for his pains, and return∣ed well satisfied to Venice; but something astonished at the Works he had seen of the Roman and Florentine Painters.
He was now called upon once more to draw the Emperour, who was grown Old; and he did it admirably, insomuch that the Emperour Knighted him, and assigned him a Pension of two hundred Crowns a Year upon the Chamber of Naples. He made some alte∣ration in his Manner about this time, it be∣ing very different from what he did when he was Young; for his first pictures are done with most incredible diligence, so as they will bear being looked upon near, and yet show well at a distance too; but the Works he did about this time, are so full of Strokes and Spots, after a certain bold Manner, that they seem nothing near, but look very well at a distance. Which Manner of his several Pain∣ters endeavouring to imitate, have made very
gross, course pieces. This way, though it seems easie, is the most laborious of all; but it is made to hide the pains of the Artist.
To enumerate here all his Works, were end∣less; for there was hardly a person of any Eminence in Italy, whose picture he did not do: he also made many pieces for the King of Spain, Philip the Second: the chief of which is a Cena Domini with the twelve Apostles, being a great piece of seven yards long, and most ex∣traordinary Beauty.
He worked with Vigour and Spirit till he was about threescore and six years Old: but it is to be wished that he had given over then; for what he did afterwards was far short of those done before. He was of a most admirable Constitution, having never been sick in all his Life time, and he never knew any Dis∣graces of Fortune, but was always healthy, pleasant, and happy: his House was the re∣sort of all the Ingenious, and of the people of the best Quality, he himself being extreamly well Bred, and Courteous. His pictures were
payed at what Rates he pleased; so that he lived Easie and Rich: he has adorned all Ita∣ly, and many other parts of Europe with his Works, which are innumerable; and which was more singular, never had any Competi∣tor in Venice, either to give him Jealousie or Disturbance; and those few that pretended to it, he easily overcame, having all the No∣bility and Wits on his side; to some of whom he taught his Art; as particularly, to a very fine Gentleman called Gian Maria Verde Zotti, who had learned to do Landskips admirably under him; and he has two of the best pieces of Titian's doing, to wit, an Apollo and a Danae.
Though a great many did work under Ti∣tian, yet there were but few that attained to any great Perfection: he that best imitated his Manner, was one Paris Bondone, whom Ti∣tian was most afraid of, and turned him out of Doors when he was but eighteen years Old, seeing how likely he was to Supplant him:
He nevertheless continued in Venice, and imi∣tated, not ot only Titian's, but Giorgione's way perfectly. The best piece of his doing, is a Story in the School of Saint Mary, at St. Gian y Polos: it is, when a Fisherman presents the Signoria of Venice with Saint Mary's Ring; there are very fine Buildings in Prospective, round about which sits the whole Senate, with the Doge; and among the Senators, there are a great many of them done by the Life, of extraordinary Beauty: the piece is in Fresco, and got Paris Bondone great Reputation.