Tiziano Vecelli'S

Tiziano Vecelli's

"Assumption and Consecration of the Virgin"

Tiziano Vecelli (or Vecellio) was born in the small alpine village of Pieve di Cadore in Italy sometime during the late 1400's. "The exact year of his birth is unknown, but many believe he was born between 1477 and 1490."(3) "Mr. Vecelli was better known as Titian (tish'un) to most people during his lifetime"(3). He is most often referred to by this name in modern times as well. Titian was highly regarded as one of the most versitile artists of his era. He specialized in landscapes and portraits that directly reflected his interests in mythological and religious subjects. "In 1516 Titian was named the official painter for the Republic of Italy."(4) He is best known for his masterpiece "Assumption and Consecration of the Virgin" which he started in 1516 and completed in 1518. The Assumption and Consecration of the Virgin is located at the high alter in the Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa die Frari in Venice, Italy. The painting is oil on wood with a marble border. It appears massive at twenty-two feet and a half an inch tall by eleven feet and four-fifths of an inch wide. The piece is in remarkable condition due to its being sheltered and adored over the years.

The religious inspiration of the painting is very interesting. Many Roman Catholics believe that the virgin Mary, being pure, did not die at all, but ascended directly into heaven. The Assumption and Consecration of the Virgin is a very clear interpretation of what many believe to be Mary's last moments on earth.

There are a variety of ways by which this scene could have been interpreted. Had different methods been used to compose the painting, they would have changed the impact and feel of the work. "Titian drew inspiration from outside the confines of Venice."(2)

His interpretation of the event is very dramatic. His use of colors and separate scene layers, "integrating the temporal and immortal"(1), make the scene very powerful and exciting. The apostles are watching in amazement as Mary is swept away by a host of angels, with God looking down warmly on the scene. Mary is clearly the focal point. You can follow the line of sight of the apostles and God as their focuses intersect directly on her. She is suspended in mid-air halfway between a shadowy earth and an infinite heaven. This dynamic piece of art contains "three separate scenes superimposed on different levels."(3) "God the Father above, the Virgin Mary in the middle, and the Apostles below, are unified by implied lines that create simple, interlocking, symmetrical triangles"(1) This method of composure broke through the traditional laws of perspective, and served as a "milestone