9/30/2015

Titian:VenusofUrbino

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Apr

04
2012

Titian:VenusofUrbino

Renaissance,Titian

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TitiansVenus

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TheVenusofUrbinoisoneofTitiansbestknownpaintings,andprobablyhismostprovocative.Portraying
ayoungfemalemodel,whoaccordingtosomescholarsappearedinotherartistspieces,theworkfeedsthe
ambiguityregardingtheprotagonistssocialstatusbyblurringgenericboundaries.Itisapaganallegory,it
isaprivateimagethatcelebratesmatrimonyand,apparently,itisalsoaportrait.

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VenusofUrbino,Before1538
Titian(TizianoVecelli)
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Thelush,nakedVenusdirectsatthevieweraliquidgazefullofsweetsurrenderandyearningtenderness.
Sheseemstobecompletelyateasewithherinclinedtocorpulenceform,displayingaconfidenceand
opennessthatmakeherevenmorecharminganddesirableherbody,tiltedslightlytowardstheviewer,
throatexposed,liesinaposeofsuggestion,orperhapsademand.
Herseductiveposeismadetoappearevenmoretantalizingbytheambivalenceofthelefthandgesture:does
sheconcealherself,therebyrenderingitasignofmodesty,ordoesshe,infact,touchherselfinamore
deliberatefashion,implying,asitwouldbe,theoppositeofmodesty?Asthiswikipediaarticleonthe
paintingproposes,themodel,whilecoveringhergenitalareawithherlefthand,appearstotoywitha
strandofpubichairwithherfingers.

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SleepingVenus
Giorgione
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TheVenusofUrbinoderivesitsinspirationfromGiorgionesSleepingVenus,whichTitianhimself
completed(hepaintedthelandscapeafterGiorgionesdeath).Itsinfluencespreadbeyondplaceandtime,
captivatingsuchartistsasMarkTwain,whothoughtittoolascivious,andManet,whothoughtit
insufficientlyso,paintinganevenmoreshockingversion,theOlympia.

CompositionandMeaning
Thepaintingpresentsafullfledgedcompositionthatbalancessomewhatthelanguorousstaticcharacterof
therecliningprotagonistwithaconsistentdynamiccomponent.
Thetiles,foreshortnedbytheperspective,rhytmicallyleadtotheendofthehall,whereoneofthemaidsis
hurryingtopreparehermistressdressthereddressoftheotherechoesthecushionsredcornerinthe
foreground.Thickverticalsrelievetheeyefromthenearlyallblackpieceofwallbehindsthefigures
back.

VenusofUrbino,Before1538
Titian(TizianoVecelli)
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Thiswallhelpstodefinetheboundarybetweentheprivateandthepublic(orsemiprivate):thesleeping
chamberattheforegroundisforyoureyesonly,thehallappearstooffermoreaccesstothehelp,and
possiblyvisitors.Theporticoentranceandthetreesconfirmthemoreopencharacterofthemainroom.

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ItistheenclosedroomthatallowsVenustoopenhereyesandaccompanyhernuditywithsuchasoul
baringgazeGiorgionesgoddess,placedoutside,sleepswithhereyesclosed.Titiansmodelisthussomuch
bolder,andsomuchmorerevelatory.Herunconditionalhonestytranslatesintoakindofincorrupt
innocence,nomatterhoweroticandsuggestivethecontextis.
TheseintimationsleadtothenotionthatTitiangivesphysicalattractionandpleasureanapprobation,orat
leastawellconsideredaknowledgement.Theimageoverallcanbeviewedasonegivinglegitimacytothe
ideaofsexuality,andendorsingintercourse(betweenahusbandandawife)aspositiveanddesirable.
Catholicdogmaofmaritalintimacyandprocreativesexasinferiortocelibacy,andasofbeingmerelythe
lesseroftwoevilsbetweenitselfandextramaritalrelations,dissolvesinthisimage.

VenusofUrbino,Before1538
Titian(TizianoVecelli)
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Conclusion
ThisextensiveandeyeopeningarticleontheVenusofUrbinoclaimsthatobscureinterpretationsofthe
paintingaimtodisavowVenussexualappeal,sometimestoaridiculousdegreeofobfuscationanddenial
thatthesecouldbetellingmoreabouttheauthorsratherthantheworkofart.Thiswomanseemsfartoo
sexytobechaste.

VenusofUrbino,Before1538
Titian(TizianoVecelli)
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Atthesametime,theauthorinsistsonthemaritalinterpretation,basinghisclaimsoniconography:thetwo
cassoni,probablycontainingthegirlsbridalgarments,andthecurledlittledog,averycommonsymbolof
maritalfidelity(vanEycksfamousArnolfinoportraitisaclassicexample).
Private,discreetownershipcouldbethemostfittingbridgetothegap(onenotaltogetheruncommonin
contemporaryWesternsociety)betweensexyandmarital.Intendedtobeownedandseeninaprivate
collection,theimagebecomesapersonalmessagesimilartothatsleepingchamberforyoureyesonly.

VenusofUrbino,Before1538
Titian(TizianoVecelli)
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Andtodaystill,whilethecurvesofVenusnakedbodyaretherefortheeyesofalltoobserveandadmire,
onepersonremainsthesingularaddresseeofthegirlsattention,andthesolerecipientofthealmost
limitlessfondnessandaffectionexudingfromherface.Therestoftheaudiencewillneverbeableto
penetratethatroomandgaze.Itwasnottheartistsintention.
Relatedposts:
1. Titian:DanaewithNursemaidSeries
2. Titian:TheAssumptionoftheVirgin
3. LeonardodaVinci:MonaLisa(LaGioconda)

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