Titian: The Last Days

by Mark Hudson

Book Overview

A compelling portrait of the life, work, and meaning of one of the greatest artists of all time. Toward the end of his long life, Tiziano Vecelli known to the world ever since as Titian (circa 1488... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080271076X
• ISBN13: 9780802710765
• Release Date: December 2009
• Publisher: Walker & Company
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.9" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

The Mystery of Titian

Titian, the 16th century artist, is a figure shrouded in mystery. Very few of his paintings exist today, and those that are known are scattered in museums and galleries around the world. No one is sure when or where or why they were painted, or what they may mean. Even more mysterious are the paintings Titian was working on when he died, both in style and subject, as well as in more basic elements such as location, since many works were immediately stolen from his studio upon his death. In //Titian: The Last Days//, Mark Hudson sets out to try to answer some of these riddles. Hudson's exploration of Titian's life and times is finely researched, and he intersperses these passages with information about his own quest to solve the mysteries of Titian. These digressions are equally illuminating when they could have been nothing more than distractions. The writing is well executed, and the subject matter is interesting, even to those readers unfamiliar with 16th century Italian artists. Reviewed by Margo Orlando Littell

A biography of Titan's life and times, re-creating 16th century Venice for any who would study his l

Titan: The Last Days offers art libraries a survey of one Tiziano Vecillio, also known as Titan, who worked on a number of paintings that vanished when his studio was looted after his death. This considers his relationships with his mentors, rivals and patrons and offers a biography of Titan's life and times, re-creating 16th century Venice for any who would study his life and works.

Another pair of eyes

As someone who looks and a picture and rapidly loses interest because it aint moving, it has always been something of a surprise that in days before video a painting could evoke the sort of response amongst the public that say a trip to see Avatar in 3D can nowadays. Fusty old painting hung in gloomy rooms or even contemporary art works hung in garish art centres financed by some arts council or other, have always provoked a rapid movement to the souvenir shop and the tea room and contemplation of my Philistine soul. I'm an arty person, a creative individual, deeply entrenched in esoteric histories, world-cultures, and well dug into the trenches of artistic creation, and yet paintings often seems little more than interior decoration. So it is refreshing to read a work of art criticism and history, that does not just deal with the biographical details, but the response to the art both then and now, along with their own personal relationship with it. It flies in the face of pretension while at the same time maintains their capacity for awe at the achievement and relish at some of the banality of the business of art. The Last Days Of Titian gives one another pair of eyes to look at these things and explains why anyone bothers. Art here is both a window into another world and a mirror reflecting oneself in one's own. Multi-point perspective is the term that comes to mind when reading this trip into the renaissance.