h glad hopes of future greatness. After a time, when Titian was about
thirty years old, the two were employed on the "Fondaco dei Tedeschi," or
the exchange for German merchants in Venice. Here the frescoes of Titian
were more admired than those of Giorgione, and the latter became so
jealous that they ceased to live together, as they had done, and there is
cause for believing that they were never good friends again. But after the
early death of Giorgione, Titian completed the works he had left
unfinished, and, no doubt, sincerely mourned for him.

One of the most celebrated pictures by Titian is the Presentation in the
Temple, which was painted for the Church of the Brotherhood of Charity,
called in Italian "La Scuola della Carita;" this church is now the Academy
of Fine Arts in Venice, where the picture still remains. It represents the
Virgin Mary when three years old entering the temple and the high priest
receiving her at the entrance. All around below the steps is a company of
friends who have been invited by her father and mother to attend them on
this important occasion. The picture is full of life and action, and is
gorgeous in its coloring. Several of the figures are said to be
portraits, one being that of Titian himself.

Among his female portraits, that of Caterina Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus, is
celebrated; also one called "Flora;" both of these are in the Uffizi
Gallery, in Florence, while near by, in the Pitti, is "La Bella," or the
beautiful lady of Titian. He also made many portraits of his daughter
Lavinia, who was very beautiful; sometimes he represented her as a fruit
or flower-girl, again as Herodias and in various characters (Fig. 46). One
of the finest of these is at Berlin, where she is in a very rich dress,
and holds up a plate of fruit; it is one of his best works.

Titian's fame extended throughout Italy, and even all over Europe, and the
Duke of Ferrara invited him to his court. The artist went, and there
painted two very famous mythological pictures, besides portraits and other
works. One of these important subjects was "Bacchus and Ariadne," and it
is now in the National Gallery, London; the second was a Venus, surrounded
by more than sixty children and cupids; some are climbing trees, others
shoot arrows in the air, while still others twine their arms around each
other; this is now in Madrid.

While at Ferrara the Pope, Leo X., asked Titian to go to Rome; but he
longed for his home--he wished