Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John
School of Tiziano Vecellio (Pieve di Cadore, 1490 – Venice, 1576)
84 x 98 cm. In a gilded frame: 96 x 110 cm.
Key bibliography: G. Tagliaferro, B. Aikema, M. Mancini and A.J. Martin, ‘Le Botteghe di Tiziano’, Milan 2009
In excellent condition, with minor imperfections around the edges of the canvas
ARTISTIC DESCRIPTION:
This splendid painting, which forms part of the great tradition of Venetian Renaissance painting, depicts the Holy Family with the Young Saint John captured in a moment of profound intimacy and spirituality.
The work captivates with its pastoral, twilight atmosphere, where the sacredness of the event blends harmoniously with the surrounding nature, in an evocative landscape vibrant with light, in a typically Venetian style, dominated on the right by a fortified village and a castle perched on a hilltop.
The arrangement of the figures is both beautiful and rich in symbolic meaning; they appear to move along a gentle diagonal line that guides our gaze from left to right – specifically from the shaded area in which the Virgin is immersed, alluding to humanity before the coming of the Messiah, towards the light towards which Jesus reaches out, alluding instead to the illumination that marks God’s definitive victory over evil.
The divine light is so intense that it pierces the dense clouds, illuminating the scene and creating a dynamic chiaroscuro contrast with the twilight of the woodland on the left.
The infant Jesus, held by his mother, represents the true focal point of the composition and creates a strong visual and gestural link with the other figures: Saint Joseph, who observes him with wise and serene contemplation, and the young John the Baptist, who approaches him, offering him a lamb – a symbol of his future sacrifice.
The painting draws, with variations, on a famous prototype by Titian housed at the Musée du Louvre in Paris (Fig. 1 – Source: Federico Zeri Foundation Online Archive,
Our work fits seamlessly into the series of copies produced by Titian’s workshop, and the artist should therefore be sought amongst the pupils or collaborators within the master’s inner circle (the so-called School of Titian).
It should be borne in mind that it was customary for the artist’s workshop to create similar works based on the same studies, introducing minor or major variations according to the requests of individual patrons: the methodical repetition of prototypes followed very precise criteria, and once the initial prototype (the ‘creative spark’) had been created, it was established practice to reuse the same compositional concept.
Specifically, in the case of this composition, which enjoyed considerable success even in its own time, we can find numerous examples of it, replicated and reworked with the utmost mastery by his school.
It therefore remains philologically difficult to attribute the work to a specific artist, even within the prolific Titian workshop, which continued into the 17th century thanks to his nephew Marco Vecellio (Venice, c. 1570 – c. 1650). For more than half a century, a host of painters of diverse origins, abilities and training revolved around Titian.
The workshop included painters such as Francesco and Orazio Vecellio, Paris Bordon, Girolamo Dente, Polidoro da Lanciano, Jan van Calcar, Valerio Zuccate, Emanuel Amberge and many others.
In addition to the names just mentioned, who were considered his most loyal followers, many other assistants, pupils and occasional collaborators came and went for short periods. Among the many foreigners were the Dutchmen von Calcar and Sustris, the Bavarians Hans Mielich and Christoph Schwarz, and El Greco himself.
The Louvre Museum itself holds a second version of this prototype, which is identical to the one just mentioned in terms of the tenderness of its sentiment; for centuries it was attributed to Titian himself, but was later reattributed to Polidoro da Lanciano, one of his most faithful pupils
Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
