or TITIAN, the most universal genius for painting of all the Lombard-school, the best colourist of all the moderns, and the most eminent Pilgrim— for histories, portraits, and landscapes, was born at Cadenore, in the province of Friuli, in the state of Venice, in 1477, or in 1480 according to Vafari and Sandrart. His parents sent him at ten years of age to one of his uncles at Venice, who finding that he had an inclination to painting, put him to the school of Giovanni Bellino.

But as soon as Titian had seen the works of Giorgione, whose manner appeared to him abundantly more elegant, and less constrained than that of Bellino, he determined to quite the style to which he had so long been accustomed, and to pursue the other that recommended itself to him, by having more force, more relief, more nature, and more truth. Some authors affirm, that he placed himself as a disciple with Giorgione; yet others only say, that he cultivated an intimacy with him; but it is undoubtedly certain that he studied with that great master; that he learned his method of blending and uniting the colours; and practised his manner so effectually, that several of the paintings of Titian were taken for the performances of Giorgione; and then his success inspired that artist with an invincible jealousy of Titian, which broke off their connection for ever after.

The reputation of Titian rose continually; every new work contributed to extend his fame through all Europe; and he was considered as the principal ornament of the age in which he flourished. And yet, Sandrart observes that amidst all his applause and constant employment at Venice, his income and fortune were inconsiderable; and he was more remarkable for the extensiveness of his talents, than for the affluence of his circumstances. But when his merit was made known to the emperor Clas. V., that monarch knew how to set a just value on his superior abilities; he enriched him by repeated bounties, allowed him a considerable pension, conferred on him the honour of knighthood, and, what was still more, honoured him with his friendship. He painted the portrait of that benefactor several times; and it is recorded by Sandrart, that one day, while the emperor was fitting for his picture, a pencil happening to drop from the painter, he stooped, took it up, and returned it; obligingly answering to the modest apology of the artist (who blushed at the condescension of so great a monarch), that the merit of a Titian was worthy of the attendance of an emperor.

The excellence of Titian was not so remarkably apparent in the historical compositions which he painted as in his portraits and landscapes, which seem to be superior to all competition; and even to this day, many of them preserve their original beauty, being as much the admiration of the present age as they have deservedly been of the ages past.—It is observed of Titian by most writers, that in the different periods of his life he had four different manners; one resembling his first instructor Bellino, which was somewhat stiff; another, in imitation of Giorgione, more bold, and full of force; his third manner was the result of experience, knowledge, and judgment, beautifully natural, and finished with exquisite care, which manner was peculiarly his own; and in those pictures which he painted between the years of approaching old age and his death may be noticed his fourth manner. His portraits were very differently finished in his early, and in his latter time, according to the testimony of Sandrart. At first he laboured his pictures highly, and gave them a polished beauty and lustre, so as to produce their effect full as well when they were examined closely as when viewed at a distance; but afterwards, he fo managed his penciling, that their greatest force and beauty appeared at a more remote view, and they pleased less when they were beheld more nearly. So that many of those artists who studied to imitate him, being misled by appearances which they did not sufficiently consider, have imagined that Titian executed his work with readiness and a masterly rapidity; and concluded that they should imitate his manner most effectually by a freedom of hand and a bold pencil: Whereas in reality, Titian took abundance of pains to work up his pictures to so high a degree of perfection; and the freedom that appears in the handling was entirely effected by a skilful combination of labour and judgment.

It cannot be truly affirmed, that Titian equalled the great masters of the Roman school in design; but he always took care to dispose his figures in such attitudes as showed the most beautiful parts of the body. His taste in designing men was not generally so correct or elegant as it appeared in his boys and female figures; but his colouring had all the look of real flesh, his figures breathe. He was not so bold as Giorgione, but in tenderness and delicacy he proved himself much superior to him and all other artists. The expression of the passions was not his excellence, though even in that respect many of his figures merited the justest commendation; but he always gave his figures an air of ease and dignity. His landscapes are universally allowed to be unequalled, whether we consider the forms of his trees, the grand ideas of nature which appear in his scenery, or his distances which agreeably delude and delight the eye of every observer; and they are executed with a light, tender, and mellow pencil. He learned from nature the harmony of colours, and his tints seem astonishing, not only for their force, but their sweetness; and in that respect his colouring is accounted the standard of excellence to all professors of the art.

It would prove almost an endless task to enumerate the variety of works executed by this illustrious artist, at Rome, Venice, Bologna, and Florence, as well as those which are to be seen in other cities of Italy, in England, Spain, Germany, and France; but there are two, which are mentioned as being truly admirable. One is, a Last Supper, preserved in the refectory at the Escorial in Spain, which is inimitably fine; the other is at Milan, representing Christ crowned with thorns. The principal figure in the latter has an attitude full of grace and dignity more than mortal, and the countenance shows a benevolence and humility, combined with dignity and pain, which no pencil but that of Titian could so feelingly have described. It is admirably coloured, and tenderly and delicately penciled; the heads are wonderfully beautiful, the composition excellent, and the whole has a charming effect by the chiaroscuro.

He was of so happy a constitution, that he was never ill till the year 1576, when he died of the plague, at 99 years of age. His disciples were Paulo Veronefe, Giacomo Tintoret, Giacomo de Porte Bassano, and his sons.