e-size, the
types stern and rugged, daringly foreshortened, and the colours, though
gorgeous, are softened and broken by broad effects of light and shade.
It is painted in a solemn mood, a contrast to that in which about this
time he produced a series of beautiful female portraits, nude or
semi-nude, chiefly, it would appear, at the instance of the Duke of
Urbino. The Duke at this time was the General-in-Chief of the Venetian
forces, a position which took him often to Venice, and Titian's
relations with him lasted till the painter's death. At least twenty-five
of his works must have adorned the castles of Urbino and Pesaro. Among
these were the Venus of the Uffizi, "La Bella di Tiziano," in her
gorgeous scheme of blue and amethyst, the "Girl in a Fur Cloak," besides
portraits of the Duke and Duchess. It would be impossible to enumerate
here the numbers of portraits which Titian was now supplying. The
reputation he had acquired, not only in Italy, but in Spain, France, and
Germany, was greater than had ever been attained by any painter, while
his social position was established among the highest in every court.
"He had rivals in Venice," says Vasari, "but none that he did not
crush by his excellence and knowledge of the world in converse with
gentlemen." There is not a writer of the day who does not acclaim his
genius. Titian was undoubtedly very fond of money, and had amassed a
good fortune. He was constantly asking for favours, and had pensions and
allowances from royal patrons. Lavinia, when she married, brought her
husband a dowry of 1400 ducats. He had painted the portraits of the
Doges with tolerable regularity, but all through his life complaints
were heard of his neglect of the work of the Hall of Grand Council.
Occupied as he was with the work of his foreign patrons, he had
systematically neglected the conditions enjoined by his possession of a
Broker's patent, and the Signoria suddenly called on him to refund the
salary amounting to over 100 ducats a year, for the twenty years during
which he had drawn it without performing his promise, while they
prepared to instal Pordenone, who had lately appeared as his bitter
rival, in his stead. Though Titian must have been making large sums of
money at this time, his expenses were heavy, and he could not calmly
face the obligation to repay such a sum as 2000 ducats at the same time
that he lost the annual salary, nor was it pleasant to be ousted by a
second-rate rival. Hi