Tiziano Vecelli

Tiziano Vecelli or Titian, was born in Italy sometime between 1488 and 1490. A master artist, his versatility and exuberance stand almost unparalleled in art history. He constantly reinvented himself, and his works are marked by a freshness and grandeur that retained its consistency, while exploring new terrain

At the tender age of ten, Titian was apprenticed to mosaicist Sebastian Zuccato in Venice. Four of five years later, he began to work in the studio of Giovanni Bellini. Titian’s earliest work is believed to be a fresco of Hercules in the Morosini Palace. He worked on his talent in painting frescos, challenging himself and constantly refining his skills. His later work at Pandua, in the Carmelite Church, is indeed superbly executed.

In 1516, Bellini died. Titian was left the undisputed head of the Venetian School for the next 60 years.

The period from 1516 to 1530, was Titian’s most artistically fulfilling. He disengaged himself from the tradition of his early years, and attempted more complex and monumental paintings. In 1518, he produced the Assumption of the Virgin, for the high altar of the Church of the Frai. It was a brilliantly executed work, with gorgeous color and superb organization. The Virgin Mary being received into Heavenly