About the Artist

Titian (c. 1488 Pieve di Cadore-1576 Venice), born Tiziano Vecellio, is the most important Venetian painter of the fiteenth century. His date of birth and details about his early creative period remain speculative. He may have studied with the Venetian mosaicist Sebastiano Zuccato, as well as with Gentile and Giovanni Bellini. In 1508-09 Titian, along with Giorgione, painted the frescoes of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice and in 1510/11 the frescoes in the Scouola del Santo in Padua. From 1515 he worked for the Gonzaga, Este, Franese and Rovere families as well as Francis (1494-1547) of France In 1533 he became court painter to Emperor Charles V (1500-1558), and was awarded the order of the Golden Fleece. In 1545 he worked for Pope Paul III (1534-1549) in Rome, and later almost exclusively for Philip II (1527-1598). His major works include portrait of a young man (Ariost), c. 1512, The National Gallery, London; The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, 1534-1538, Galleria dell' Academia, Venice; and The Annunciation, 1559-1564, San Salvatore, Venice.