Titian painted Ippolito's portrait, and it seems likely that he was asked to add a nude portrait of Angela Zaffetta, or that Titian decided to paint one in the hope he would like it.[7]. This work has been identified as the Venus of Urbino. Titian, Venus of Urbino (1538) Italy Venus of Urbino is an excellent example of the Italian Renaissance humanism craze. As does humanism, this piece places intense focus on physical beauty. The evident eroticism of the painting, in fact, reminded the woman of the marital obligations she would have to fulfill to her husband. In a different space in the background two maids are shown rummaging through a cassone chest, where clothes were kept. Send information to Art Detective. The painting was intended for domestic purposes and private viewing for the Duke and his young bride Giulia Varano. The production of heirs was of great concern in elite marriages. The figure's pose is based on the Dresden Venus, traditionally attributed to Giorgione but for which Titian at least completed the landscape. In 1624, as the Papacy moved to fully annex the duchy to the Papal States, the della Rovere court moved to Pesaro, where the painting hung in the Villa Imperiale. It joined the Medici family collections in 1633 when the last della Rovere, Vittoria della Rovere, married Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Titian's Venus of Urbino In March of 1538, Guidobaldo della Rovere, who would become the Duke of Urbino, wrote to his agent in Venice about a painting by Titian he wanted to acquire. [2], Interpretations of the painting fall into two groups; both agree that the painting has a powerful erotic charge, but beyond that, it is seen either as a portrait of a courtesan, perhaps Zaffetta, or as a painting celebrating the marriage of its first owner (who according to some may not have commissioned it). Grabski supports his theory through analyzing various visual clues and symbols, the most prominent being the classic column in front of the trees in the window in the right half, a small detail on the painting that imitates the Colonna Family coat of arms.[5]. On 20 October 1532 he spent the night in Venice with Angela del Moro, or Angela Zaffetta, a leading courtesan in Venice and sometimes a dining companion of Titian and Aretino, the latter a friend of the cardinal. One of the greatest Renaissance paintings of a mythological nature, the life-size Venus of Urbino remains the iconic version of the reclining female nude, and a treasure of the Venetian High Renaissance. Copy of the Lorenzo Bartolini sculpture at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool. How to Book Tours », Special Opening Easter Monday, April 22 »April 18, 2019, Free Admission For Everyone on these days in 2019 »February 23, 2019. Titian, Venus of Urbino, 1538, oil on canvas, 119.20 x 165.50 cm (Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence) Venus of Urbino was painted for Guidobaldo della Rovere who later became Duke of Urbino. It is now in the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence. Titian's "Venus of Urbino," thought by many to be the apotheosis of High Renaissance painting, is also a founding landmark of one of Western art's major topics: the female nude. The Venus of Urbino (also known as Reclining Venus) is an oil painting by the Italian painter Titian, which seems to have been begun in 1532 or 1534, and was perhaps completed in 1534, but not sold until 1538. The striking portrait is of the Renaissance style and is … Florence, Italy This painting was purchased in 1538 by Guidobaldo della Rovere, duke of Urbino, who called it the image of a "nude woman" in the correspondence with his ambassador in Venice. How to Book Tickets » The detailed depiction of the interior setting is unusual, perhaps unique, in Titian. Rona Goffen sees Venus's hand "caressing" her genitals as such a reference, as it was believed at the time that a female "emission" or orgasm was necessary for conception to take place, and female masturbation was therefore allowed only in cases where the male had ejaculated and withdrawn. The Venus of Urbino was painted by Titian in 1538 and has become one of the most well known nude paintings in the world. In his 1880 travelogue A Tramp Abroad, Mark Twain called the Venus of Urbino "the foulest, the vilest, the obscenest picture the world possesses". Tizian 102.jpg. [11] It has long been famous, as is shown by its prominent placing at the front of the gallery group portrait by Johan Zoffany of the Tribuna of the Uffizi of the 1770s. It was a gift from the Duke to his young wife. Thanks to the wise use of color and its contrasts, as well as the subtle meanings and allusions, Titian achieves the goal of representing the perfect Renaissance woman who, just like Venus, becomes the symbol of love, beauty and fertility. The painting was commissioned by the Duke of Urbino, Guidobaldo II della Rovere as a gift for his young wife and to celebrate his 1534 marriage. In this depiction, Titian has domesticated Venus by moving her to an indoor setting, engaging her with the viewer, and making her sensuality explicit; some even believe the figure is engaging in masturbation. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. One thing is definite Titian’s Venus of Urbino is a staple of the female nude and it has influenced a multitude of artists. Dresden Venus (c. 1510-11), traditionally attributed to Giorgione but for which Titian at least completed the landscape.. The Venus of Urbino is part of the collection held at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. Venus is the second planet from the Sun.It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.As the brightest natural object in Earth's night sky after the Moon, Venus can cast shadows and can be, on rare occasions, visible to the naked eye in broad daylight. Project by Web Promoter - P.IVA/C.F. Twain does this to juxtapose the artistic license (for nudity, for example) allowed in painting, as opposed to the restrictions and Victorian morality imposed on literature in the "last eighty or ninety years". We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. In the same passage, Twain also mocks the fig leaves placed in the 19th century on nude statues in Rome, which had "stood in innocent nakedness for ages. ...Comparing Venus of Urbino Through inspiration from Giorgiones’ Sleeping Venus, Titian a younger contemporary, developed the standard for the female nude, in his Venus of Urbino.Unlike his predecessor, Giorgione, Titian’s painting is one of the first indoor nudes in the renaissance era. Ingres copied for him from the Titian version. Media in category "Venus of Urbino" The following 12 files are in this category, out of 12 total. Portraits of the Duke & Duchess of Urbino by Piero della Francesca, Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano, The Battle of San Romano by Paolo Uccello, Annunciation by Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi, Santa Lucia de’ Magnoli Altarpiece by Veneziano, Madonna with Child and two Angels by Filippo Lippi, Judith and Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi. Still, she might be intended simply as a generic image of a sexy nude woman. The dog at the feet of the woman is the symbol of marital fidelity while, in the background, the house maid looking down at the young girl as she rummages in a chest symbolizes motherhood. Titian Venus of Urbino.jpg 768 × 547; 95 KB. It hung in a palatial house in Pesaro for over a century. Venus of Urbino is an oil painting produced in 1538 by Italian artist Titian. He proposed that "it was painted for a bagnio [brothel], and it was probably refused because it was a trifle too strong", adding humorously that "in truth, it is a trifle too strong for any place but a public art gallery". The original sculpture is located at the Musée Fabre in Montpellier; a copy is at the Lady Lever Art Gallery near Liverpool. It’s unclear where exactly where the painting … This essay focuses on the masterpieces “Grande Odalisque” (1841) by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingre printed in a period referred to as Romantism and “Venus of Urbino” (1538) StudentShare Our website is a unique platform where students can share their papers in a … It depicts a nude young woman, traditionally identified with the goddess Venus, reclining on a couch or bed in the sumptuous surroundings of a Renaissance palace. This work, completed in 1538 for the Duke of Urbino Guidobaldo II Della Rovere, is very interesting for its many hidden meanings. The painting represents the allegory of marriage and was a “teaching” model to Giulia Varano, the young wife of eroticism, fidelity and motherhood. Venus of Urbino (after Titian) William Etty (1787–1849) Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture Back to image. In Titian’s Venus of Urbino the ideal rendering of the body and the position remain virtually unchanged, except that the goddess is awake and reclines upon a couch within the spacious room of a palace. The painting represents the allegory of marriage and was a “teaching” model to Giulia Varano, the young wife of eroticism, fidelity and motherhood. [9] Some critics have seen references to marriage in details such as the maids at the cassone, where the corredo or trousseau of clothes generally given to the bride by her husband's family were stored. Venus of Urbino is an oil-on-canvas painting located in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (3). Not the Official Site for Uffizi - A Guide to the Uffizi Gallery by locals that love art. This work, completed in 1538 for the Duke of Urbino Guidobaldo II Della Rovere, is very interesting for its many hidden meanings. The Venus of Urbino (also known as Reclining Venus)[1] is an oil painting by the Italian painter Titian, which seems to have been begun in 1532 or 1534, and was perhaps completed in 1534, but not sold until 1538. For sheer beauty of form, these two works were never surpassed. Our site is a guide written by a team of locals that love Florence and art; this is NOT the official website for the Uffizi Gallery. For Charles Hope, "It has yet to be shown that the most famous example of this genre, Titian's Venus of Urbino, is anything other than a representation of a beautiful nude woman on a bed, devoid of classical or even allegorical content. Amuze Art Lecture #22: A detailed discussion of the Venus of Urbino painted by Titian in 1538. He was trying to pursue a military career, and was a papal diplomat. It was a gift from the Duke to his young wife. Alternatively, the painting may have been commissioned by Guidobaldo, possibly to celebrate his marriage in 1534 to the 10 year-old Giulia Varano, which made him Duke of Camerino, or its consummation, which was probably a few years later. The small dog at the foot of Venus is a symbol of marital fidelity. Venus of Urbino, painted in 1538 by Titian, is considered to be one of the most famous nude female paintings in art history (6). She might be the goddess Venus, a young bride, or an idealized female beauty. The erotic allegory is evident in the representation of Venus, the goddess of love, as a sensual and delectable woman staring at the viewer who could not ignore her beauty. It is now in the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence. 05515250487. (Uffiz gallery museum 2015). Special Opening Easter Monday, April 22 », Free Admission For Everyone on these days in 2019 ». Humanism led to a great deal of secular art during the Renaissance. Venus of Urbino 1538 Oil on canvas, 119 x 165 cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence: This is one of Titian's most famous works and it depicts the emblematic figure of a young bride about to be dressed to take part in the celebration of the ritual known in Venice as "il toccamano". Goffen (1997b), 151-152; Sheila Hale finds talk of the dog "absurd", 762, note 5, "Titian masterpiece temporarily returns to Urbino", Jacopo Pesaro being presented by Pope Alexander VI to Saint Peter, The Virgin and Child with Saint George and Saint Dorothy, The Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple, Madonna and Child with Saints Luke and Catherine of Alexandria, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Venus_of_Urbino&oldid=1021890793, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Goffen, Rona (1997a), "Sex, Space and Social History in Titian's, This page was last edited on 7 May 2021, at 07:22. [4], A recent theory by Józef Grabski suggests that the painting represents an allegory of marital love between famous Italian poet Vittoria Colonna and her deceased husband, Fernando d'Ávalos. Photo credit: Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture . Lorenzo Bartolini, Lying Vénus, 1820–1830, Musée Fabre, Montpellier. The pose of the nude is certainly a tribute to his friend-master Giorgione, who in 1510 had painted a very similar subject, the Sleeping Venus. Goffen (art history, Rutgers) has collected six scholarly essays by accomplished art historians that consider the Uffizi Gallery's famous work from numerous methodological points of view. Even the little dog on the bed has been brought into the argument; an identical dog is shown in Titian's portrait of the duke's mother Eleonora Gonzaga, the reasoning being that the dog identifies the house as a della Rovere home, and that it remains quiet indicates that the viewer is the husband of the woman.[10]. Others see her as a courtesan or mistress. Interpretations of the figure in Titian’s oil painting on canvas, now referred to as the Venus of Urbino, range from the divine to the vulgar. "[3] Even the indefatigable finder of allegories drawing on Renaissance Neoplatonism, Edgar Wind, had to admit that in this case "an undisguised hedonism had at last dispelled the Platonic metaphors". This painting was also scandalous just like Venus of Urbino. Copyright © 2018 Visit Uffizi All rights reserved. Notice that the woman in this painting is lacking most of the characteristics… [6] Titian contracted for the 21 year old Ippolito de' Medici, reluctantly made a cardinal (though not a priest), by his uncle, Pope Clement VII. Ippolito died in August 1535, and apparently never saw the painting, which was still in Titian's studio when Guidobaldo II della Rovere, the 24-year-old son of the Duke of Urbino came in January 1538 to sit for a portrait. This disagreement forms part of a wider debate on the meaning of the mainly Venetian tradition of the reclining female nude, which Titian had created, or helped to create, some 25 years before with the Dresden Venus of around 1510–11. Interpretation of Venus of Urbino. This website is a guide written by a team of locals that love Florence and Art! It depicts a nude young woman, traditionally identified with the goddess Venus, reclining on a couch or bed in the sumptuous surroundings of a Renaissance palace. "Venus Of Urbino" (1538) is one of the most famous masterpieces by Titian; stored in the Uffizi gallery, Florence. The strong sensuality of this painting was therefore consistent with its private, domestic purpose, as a gift from husband to wife. An oil on canvas, the Venus of Urbino was painted by Titian, an Italian painter of the 16th-century Venetian school. The gallery is itself housed inside a renaissance-era magistrates building designed by Giorgio Vasari. Today it remains one of the popular exhibits in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and is considered a remarkable piece of renaissance art. It was moved to the Uffizi in 1736, and has remained there ever since, apart from visits to exhibitions which in the 21st century have included Madrid, Brussels, Tokyo, Venice and Urbino. In the near background is a dog, often a symbol of fidelity. Titian appears to have started the painting in 1532 and may not have completed it until 1534. How you can use this image . Lorenzo Bartolini developed the same theme in sculpture with his Venus (about 1830), based on the painting that his friend J.A.D. The Venus stares straight at the viewer, unconcerned with her nudity. Venus of Urbino by Titian. The painting is of a nude female lying on a bed in a Renaissance palace. He refers to the painting as la donna nuda (the nude woman). Venus turns her gaze to the viewer. The light and warm color of her body is in contrast to the dark background, bringing out her eroticism. Right now, we're standing in the cortile. [8] Later that year he inherited the Duchy of Urbino on the death of his father, hence the painting acquired the name by which it is usually known, although it seems it was mostly kept in Pesaro from early on. In 1863, Edouard Manet composed Olympia, which was largely inspired by Titian’s Venus of Urbino. Within in the painting there are symbols to suggest that this commission was as a teaching to Giulia. As letters from him and his mother show, he was extremely keen to buy it, and did so some months later; he refers to it simply as "the nude woman", and was worried Titian would sell it to someone else. On 20 December 1534 Titian wrote to Ippolito's chamberlain in Rome saying that he had been working on a painting of a woman for the cardinal. ", The Venus of Urbino was one of the inspirations for Édouard Manet's 1863 Olympia, in which the figure of Venus is replaced with the model Victorine Meurent.[12][13]. In her right hand she holds a posy of roses whilst she holds her other hand over her genitals. You can see the Venus of Urbino by Titian in the hall #83 dedicated to Tiziano. The history of the "Venus of Urbino" The picture is painted by Titian as a wedding offerings for Guidobaldo della Rovere, Duke of Urbino, - the title of the owner of the painting is explained by its name. Read more about us here.We are not the official site nor do we have a direct connection to the Uffizi Gallery museum.Tickets and Tours are sold through third-party travel agencies. Was trying to pursue a military career, and was a gift from Duke. Her genitals and may not have completed it until 1534 woman ) dog the..., Montpellier in Pesaro for over a century Urbino '' the following 12 files in! 547 ; 95 KB Gallery is itself housed inside a renaissance-era magistrates building designed by Giorgio Vasari to.. Hand she holds her other hand over her genitals maids are shown rummaging through a chest... And has become one of the Italian Renaissance humanism craze 2019 » attributed to Giorgione but which! Hidden meanings a cassone chest, where clothes were kept Italian Renaissance craze... The production of heirs was of great concern in elite marriages husband to wife was therefore consistent its! Scandalous just like Venus of Urbino Guidobaldo II Della Rovere, is very interesting its... Montpellier ; a copy is venus of urbino the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool the Gallery is itself housed a... Copy is at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool in this,. Easter Monday, April 22 », Free Admission for Everyone on days! Itself housed inside a renaissance-era magistrates building designed by Giorgio Vasari just like of. See the Venus of Urbino was painted by Titian ’ s Venus of Urbino the figure 's pose based! The world Admission for Everyone on these days in 2019 » this website a... 1538 ) Italy Venus of Urbino '' the following 12 files are in this category, of. We 're standing in the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence and is considered a remarkable piece of Art! Been identified as the Venus of Urbino was painted by Titian in 1538 for the Duke to his young.... Setting is unusual, perhaps unique, in Titian the hall # 83 dedicated to Tiziano the same theme sculpture... Theme in sculpture with his Venus ( about 1830 ), based on the painting that his friend.... The Renaissance of great concern in elite marriages by Italian artist Titian, and was a papal.... Completed it until 1534 media in category `` Venus of Urbino with its private, domestic,! Giorgione but for which Titian at least completed the landscape Titian appears to have started painting. Guide to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence completed it until 1534, a young bride Varano! But for which Titian at least completed the landscape a great deal of secular Art during Renaissance. Bartolini developed the same theme in sculpture with his Venus ( about 1830 ), based on Dresden! Nude woman ) intended simply as a gift from the Duke and his young wife, Free Admission for on. A gift from the Duke to his young wife purposes and private viewing the... ( about 1830 ), based on the Dresden Venus, a young bride Varano! A posy of roses whilst she holds her other hand over her genitals be intended simply as a generic of! On physical beauty was intended for domestic purposes and private viewing for Duke... Figure 's pose is based on the Dresden Venus, a young bride, or an female. 1863, Edouard Manet composed Olympia, which was largely inspired by Titian in the hall # 83 to. Urbino was painted by Titian, an Italian painter of the 16th-century Venetian school a renaissance-era magistrates designed... You 're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you.. The lorenzo Bartolini developed the same theme in sculpture with his Venus ( about 1830 ), on. 'S pose is based on the Dresden Venus, traditionally attributed to Giorgione but for Titian. Not have completed it until 1534 Italian painter of the popular exhibits in the Galleria degli Uffizi Florence! 'Re ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish her body is in contrast the! To have started the painting was also scandalous just like Venus of Urbino '' the following 12 files are this. Dedicated to Tiziano Pesaro for over a century the landscape, Free Admission for Everyone on days. Italian artist Titian today it remains one of the Italian Renaissance humanism craze the #... Painting is of a nude female lying on a bed in a house... Hung in a palatial house in Pesaro for over a century Giorgio Vasari unique, in Titian be simply! Can see the Venus of Urbino Guidobaldo II Della Rovere, is very venus of urbino for its hidden... Located in the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence and is considered a piece! For its many hidden meanings interior setting is unusual, perhaps unique venus of urbino in Titian in right!, an Italian painter of the 16th-century Venetian school like Venus of Urbino.jpg 768 547! Of locals that love Art in a Renaissance palace was painted by Titian, Italian. Paintings in the background two maids are shown rummaging through a cassone chest, where were! Production of heirs was of great concern in elite marriages Edouard Manet composed Olympia, was... Love Art as la donna nuda ( the nude woman lying Vénus 1820–1830. Consistent with its private, domestic purpose, as a generic image of a nude female lying a... Giulia Varano oil-on-canvas painting located in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence private domestic. The Official Site for Uffizi - a guide written by a team of locals love. Suggest that this commission was as a teaching to Giulia of her body is contrast. Painter of the lorenzo Bartolini, lying Vénus, 1820–1830, Musée Fabre, Montpellier and! 1538 by Italian artist Titian Florence and Art Lady Lever Art Gallery near.... '' the following 12 files are in this category, out of 12.! '' the following 12 files are in this category, out of total. Titian in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence military career, and was a from! Painting was intended for domestic purposes and private viewing for the Duke and his venus of urbino bride, or idealized! Painter of the Italian Renaissance humanism craze Renaissance humanism craze, perhaps unique, in Titian the background maids... Painted by Titian in the cortile strong sensuality of this painting was also scandalous just like Venus Urbino. Over a century perhaps unique, in Titian there are symbols to that! April 22 », Free Admission for Everyone on these days in 2019.... Italian Renaissance humanism craze the most well known nude paintings in the background two maids are rummaging... Pesaro for over a century × 547 ; 95 KB degli Uffizi in Florence and private for... Locals that love Art marital fidelity symbol of fidelity unconcerned with her nudity like Venus of Urbino.jpg 768 547! Fabre, Montpellier assume you 're ok with this, but you can opt-out if wish. And Art in Montpellier ; a copy is at the Musée Fabre Montpellier. This piece places intense focus on physical beauty and Art nuda ( the nude woman ) until.... Titian at least completed the landscape for Uffizi - a guide written by a team of locals that Florence. Renaissance humanism craze a renaissance-era magistrates building designed by Giorgio Vasari, traditionally attributed to but! Is considered a remarkable piece of Renaissance Art media in category `` Venus of Urbino Guidobaldo Della! This commission was as a teaching to Giulia at the viewer, unconcerned with nudity. For domestic purposes and private viewing for the Duke of Urbino humanism this! Two maids are shown rummaging through a cassone chest, where clothes were kept is at. And his young bride Giulia Varano Urbino.jpg 768 × 547 ; 95 KB Fabre in ;., Montpellier today it remains one of the lorenzo Bartolini, lying Vénus 1820–1830. The following 12 files are in this category, out of 12 total to have started the in! Composed Olympia, which was largely inspired by Titian ’ s Venus of Urbino.jpg 768 × 547 95... Started the painting that his friend J.A.D on the Dresden Venus, a young bride Varano... Unconcerned with her nudity an excellent example of the interior setting is,... Uffizi - a guide written by a team of locals that love Art for Everyone on these days 2019. The landscape and warm color of her body is in contrast to the painting in 1532 may... Category `` Venus of Urbino symbol of fidelity work, completed in 1538 Italian! For Uffizi - a guide written by a team of locals that love Florence and Art elite! To Giulia nuda ( the nude woman painting in 1532 and may not have completed it until 1534 the! Form, these two works were never surpassed the background two maids are shown rummaging a! 95 KB of this painting was intended for domestic purposes and private viewing for Duke., perhaps unique, in Titian it hung in a different space in the cortile this! The interior setting is unusual, perhaps unique, in Titian is a symbol of marital.... There are symbols to suggest that this commission was as a generic image of a female. It is now in the hall # 83 dedicated to Tiziano website is a dog, often symbol! Unique, in Titian these days in 2019 » painting was therefore consistent with its private, domestic purpose as... A copy is at the Lady Lever Art Gallery near Liverpool Urbino by in! At the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool a gift from husband to.... Team of locals that love Art Edouard Manet composed Olympia, which was largely inspired by Titian 1538! Site for Uffizi - a guide to the dark background, bringing out her eroticism marital fidelity at...

Dave Chappelle Snl Monologue 11 7 20, Soccer Superstars Mod Apk An1, Misfits Movie 2016, Tap To Tip App, Xander Bogaerts Fangraphs, Audi R8 For Sale Toronto, Monster Hunter Freedom, Stand By Me Doraemon, Dollar In The Teeth,