(lighthearted music)
(lighthearted music)

Male Voiceover: We're in the Accademia in Venice,
Male Voiceover: We're in the Accademia in Venice,

standing in front of a very late Titian.
standing in front of a very late Titian.

In fact, a painting so late in his life,
In fact, a painting so late in his life,

that not only did he intend it for his own tomb,
that not only did he intend it for his own tomb,

but it was unfinished at this death.
but it was unfinished at this death.

Female Voiceover: Parts of it were finished
Female Voiceover: Parts of it were finished

by another artist after Titian's death.
by another artist after Titian's death.

Male Voiceover: We have some evidence
Male Voiceover: We have some evidence

that the angel holding the large candle
that the angel holding the large candle

may have been added by that later artist.
may have been added by that later artist.

Female Voiceover: The painting was intended for his tomb
Female Voiceover: The painting was intended for his tomb

in the church of the Frari here in Venice,
in the church of the Frari here in Venice,

that Titian painted two other great paintings for;
that Titian painted two other great paintings for;

his Assunta, or the Assumption of the Virgin, and also his Pesaro Madonna.
his Assunta, or the Assumption of the Virgin, and also his Pesaro Madonna.

So, this was a church that he was very familiar with,
So, this was a church that he was very familiar with,

that he had a relationship with.
that he had a relationship with.

Male Voiceover: And where he is buried;
Male Voiceover: And where he is buried;

although, there was a dispute, so this painting was not added.
although, there was a dispute, so this painting was not added.

This is a Pieta, which was a rare subject for Titian,
This is a Pieta, which was a rare subject for Titian,

and we think that it would have been on the right wall,
and we think that it would have been on the right wall,

so you would have approached it at an angle;
so you would have approached it at an angle;

and it helps to explain the composition.
and it helps to explain the composition.

Female Voiceover: That's true, generally, for Titian's work,
Female Voiceover: That's true, generally, for Titian's work,

that he was very aware of the approach of the viewer
that he was very aware of the approach of the viewer

toward the painting in the way in which
toward the painting in the way in which

the figures depicted related to the viewer.
the figures depicted related to the viewer.

Male Voiceover: Well, look at the composition of this painting.
Male Voiceover: Well, look at the composition of this painting.

You have a very stable architectural form in the middle,
You have a very stable architectural form in the middle,

and that might well create a sense of stability;
and that might well create a sense of stability;

but in Titian's hands, it doesn't,
but in Titian's hands, it doesn't,

because he's got this wonderful diagonal that moves up
because he's got this wonderful diagonal that moves up

from the lower right corner through the figure
from the lower right corner through the figure

that is draped in red that some art historians think may be St. Jerome,
that is draped in red that some art historians think may be St. Jerome,

through the shoulders of Christ, to Mary, wearing blue,
through the shoulders of Christ, to Mary, wearing blue,

finally to Mary Magdalene, who stands,
finally to Mary Magdalene, who stands,

and then that line is stopped by her right hand.
and then that line is stopped by her right hand.

Female Voiceover: She strides forward towards us,
Female Voiceover: She strides forward towards us,

although she looks away from us.
although she looks away from us.

Some art historians think that the figure St. Jerome,
Some art historians think that the figure St. Jerome,

who's kneeling and grasping the hand of Christ,
who's kneeling and grasping the hand of Christ,

looking up at Christ and Mary, may be a portrait of Titian himself;
looking up at Christ and Mary, may be a portrait of Titian himself;

and Titian does appear, we think, in the Pieta,
and Titian does appear, we think, in the Pieta,

in a painting within the painting that we see on the lower right.
in a painting within the painting that we see on the lower right.

There's a small image of two figures praying toward a Pieta.
There's a small image of two figures praying toward a Pieta.

Male Voiceover: That's stacked right over the family crest,
Male Voiceover: That's stacked right over the family crest,

which you can see just below that canvas.
which you can see just below that canvas.

Female Voiceover: That identification with Titian
Female Voiceover: That identification with Titian

and his son is pretty certain;
and his son is pretty certain;

so this is personal image for the artist.
so this is personal image for the artist.

It's clear that Titian often worked on paintings
It's clear that Titian often worked on paintings

for long periods of time, returning to them again and again,
for long periods of time, returning to them again and again,

which is something you can do with oil paint;
which is something you can do with oil paint;

but, to me, it makes sense that you might not
but, to me, it makes sense that you might not

finish a painting that's destined for your own tomb.
finish a painting that's destined for your own tomb.

Male Voiceover: The forms that frame
Male Voiceover: The forms that frame

the central figures are enormous and powerful.
the central figures are enormous and powerful.

On the left, you see Moses holding the laws,
On the left, you see Moses holding the laws,

holding the staff that he'll strike a rock with
holding the staff that he'll strike a rock with

to create a spring miraculously.
to create a spring miraculously.

On the right, you see a sculpture of a pagan holding a cross.
On the right, you see a sculpture of a pagan holding a cross.

Female Voiceover: So, Moses, from the Old Testament,
Female Voiceover: So, Moses, from the Old Testament,

the Sibyl figure from classical antiquity,
the Sibyl figure from classical antiquity,

who prophesied the coming of Christ,
who prophesied the coming of Christ,

and so therefore, she holds a cross,
and so therefore, she holds a cross,

and these two figures represented a sculpture
and these two figures represented a sculpture

because they are from the older pagan and Jewish traditions.
because they are from the older pagan and Jewish traditions.

Male Voiceover: But, Titian also refers
Male Voiceover: But, Titian also refers

to his own history much more directly in this painting.
to his own history much more directly in this painting.

In the center, it is this massive piece of architecture, this apse.
In the center, it is this massive piece of architecture, this apse.

We can see this rusticated masonry,
We can see this rusticated masonry,

and a broken pediment at the top,
and a broken pediment at the top,

but inside you see this concave space
but inside you see this concave space

with a mosaic at its top that reminds us
with a mosaic at its top that reminds us

of the mosaics in San Marco in Venice,
of the mosaics in San Marco in Venice,

that were referred to [unintelligible] of Giovanni Bellini,
that were referred to [unintelligible] of Giovanni Bellini,

the great Venetian artist that came before Titian.
the great Venetian artist that came before Titian.

These were formative paintings for Titian's own early career,
These were formative paintings for Titian's own early career,

and here, in his last years, he refers back to this history.
and here, in his last years, he refers back to this history.

Female Voiceover: Although the painting is unfinished,
Female Voiceover: Although the painting is unfinished,

we do get a sense of how oil paint allowed Titian
we do get a sense of how oil paint allowed Titian

and other Venetian artists to work on paintings
and other Venetian artists to work on paintings

over a long period of time to be expressive
over a long period of time to be expressive

with their brushwork, to have a sense of immediacy
with their brushwork, to have a sense of immediacy

and individuality in that brushwork,
and individuality in that brushwork,

to create forms that were open, that lack a kind of finality.
to create forms that were open, that lack a kind of finality.

Male Voiceover: That's right, this painting feels mutable.
Male Voiceover: That's right, this painting feels mutable.

It feels as if Titian might have continued
It feels as if Titian might have continued

to push the paint, and that form might resolve,
to push the paint, and that form might resolve,

or in some places, continue to dissolve.
or in some places, continue to dissolve.

Part of the power of this painting
Part of the power of this painting

has to do with the fact that it is represented at night,
has to do with the fact that it is represented at night,

but it allows Titian to have these figures,
but it allows Titian to have these figures,

these forms, emerge out of darkness.
these forms, emerge out of darkness.

Female Voiceover: The light almost seems to emerge from Christ.
Female Voiceover: The light almost seems to emerge from Christ.

There is that interest in spiritual light,
There is that interest in spiritual light,

that is something we see in the work of Titian
that is something we see in the work of Titian

going back to his other paintings in the Frari, like the Assumption.
going back to his other paintings in the Frari, like the Assumption.

The figures are life-size, the painting itself, is probably about 10 feet high.
The figures are life-size, the painting itself, is probably about 10 feet high.

This is still, though, a very intimate and personal image.
This is still, though, a very intimate and personal image.

(lighthearted music)
(lighthearted music)