Overview
Venus, as if filled with foreboding about Adonis’s fate, desperately clings to her lover, while he pulls himself free of her embrace, impatient for the hunt and with his hounds straining at the leash. The goddess’s gesture is echoed by that of Cupid, who anxiously watches the lovers’ leave-taking while clutching a dove—a creature sacred to Venus.
Titian’s scene was inspired by the account in Ovid’s Metamorphoses of the goddess Venus’s love for the beautiful young huntsman Adonis, who was tragically killed by a wild boar. Though Ovid did not describe the last parting of the lovers, Titian’s imagining of it introduced a powerful element of dramatic tension into the story.
Venus and Adonis was one of the most successful designs of Titian’s later career. At least 30 versions are known to have been executed by the painter and his workshop, as well as independently by assistants and copyists within the painter’s lifetime and immediately afterward, and the evolution of the composition over the years was highly complex. For stylistic reasons, the Gallery’s version is believed to date from the 1560s. However, technical examination of the underlying paint layers has revealed changes to the composition that suggest the painting may have been begun as early as the 1540s.
Entry
Even more than in the case of the
The subject is based on the account in Ovid, Metamorphoses (10.532–539, 705–709), of the love of the goddess Venus for the beautiful young huntsman Adonis, and of how he was tragically killed by a wild boar.
The many versions of the composition fall into two main groups, which were respectively dubbed Groups A and B by Panofsky,
Yet against Wethey’s hypothesis is the simple fact that there is no mention of any Venus and Adonis in any of Titian’s extensive correspondence with Cardinal Farnese and his agents in the later 1540s. Nor does Giorgio Vasari, who was in Rome at the time of Titian’s visit, and who discusses the Danaë at length, refer to any pendant, and the Farnese version is not mentioned in any document before the inventory of the Palazzo Farnese of 1644.
The likelihood that Wethey’s name for this type is a misnomer does not, however, prove that Titian invented it only in the 1560s or that it must postdate his invention of the “Prado” type. Joannides and Penny have separately observed that the composition of the “Farnese,” or “two-dog,” type is more satisfactory than that of the “Prado,” or “three-dog,” type, and that for visual reasons it is more logical to interpret the latter as an expansion of the former, than the former as a simplification of the latter.
Given the likelihood of this early date, the evidence revealed by a technical examination of the Gallery’s picture undertaken in 2004 is both interesting and surprising. Most significantly, the x-radiograph
This technical evidence naturally also has a bearing on another problem regarding the Gallery’s picture that has been much discussed: its relationship to the New York version. While in general agreement that both of these versions of the “two-dog” composition are late works, and that both show a certain degree of workshop assistance, scholars have expressed divergent opinions about their respective chronological relationship and quality. Hans Tietze regarded the Washington version as superior to that in New York, an opinion later reiterated by W. R. Rearick.
The various differences of detail between the Washington and New York pictures support the observation by Pallucchini that an engraving of the composition by Raphael Sadeler II, dated 1610
Peter Humfrey
March 21, 2019
Provenance
Robert Spencer, 2nd earl of Sunderland [1641-1702], London and Althorp, Northamptonshire, by 1679;[1] by inheritance to his youngest son, the Hon. John Spencer [d. 1746], Althorp;[2] by inheritance to John Spencer, 1st earl Spencer [1734-1783], Althorp;[3] by inheritance to George John Spencer, 2nd earl Spencer [1758-1834], Althorp;[4] by inheritance to John Charles Spencer, 3rd earl Spencer [1782-1845], Althorp; by inheritance to Frederick Spencer, 4th earl Spencer [1798-1857], Althorp; by inheritance to John Poyntz Spencer, 5th earl Spencer [1835-1910], Althorp; by inheritance to Charles Robert Spencer, 6th earl Spencer [1857-1922], Althorp; by inheritance to Albert Edward John Spencer, 7th earl Spencer [1892-1975], Althorp; sold 1924 to (Thos. Agnew & Sons, Ltd., London); sold 1925 to (Arthur J. Sulley and Co., London); inheritance from Estate of Peter A.B. Widener by gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, Elkins Park, after purchased 1925 by funds of the Estate; gift 1942 to NGA.
Associated Names
Agnew & Sons, Ltd., ThomasDigby, Countess of Bristol, Anne Russell
Spencer, Albert Edward John, 7th earl Spencer
Spencer, Charles Robert, 6th earl
Spencer, Countess of Sunderland, Anne Digby
Spencer, Frederick, 4th earl
Spencer, George John, 2nd earl Spencer
Spencer, John Charles, 3rd earl
Spencer, John Poyntz, 5th earl
Spencer, John, 1st Earl
Spencer, John, The Hon.
Sulley & Co., Arthur J.
Widener, Joseph E.
Exhibition History
- 1922
- Loan Exhibition of Pictures by Old Masters on behalf of Lord Haig's appeal for ex-service men, Thomas Agnew and Sons, London, 1922, no. 14.
- 1989
- Masterpieces of Western European Painting of the XVIth-XXth Centuries from the Museums of the European Countries and USA, State Hermitage Museum, Leningrad, 1989, no. 5, repro.
- 1996
- Rings: Five Passions in World Art, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, 1996, unnumbered catalogue, repro.
Technical Summary
The picture is painted on a relatively coarse, open, plain-weave fabric, estimated to be linen, which has been lined. The tacking edges have been removed, but cusping along all four edges and the composition imply that the painting’s dimensions have not been altered.
Infrared reflectography at 1.1 to 1.4 microns
Close inspection by the naked eye suggests that the ground was applied thinly in reddish brown. The paint is freely applied with loose, confident brushwork; lighter colors are used in a full-bodied, textured manner with scumbles, while the darks are generally painted much more thinly. The red drapery was created by covering a white underpainting with a transparent red glaze. To judge from its present gray/brown color, the sky on the right was painted with smalt pigment, but it has retained its correct hue in the area to the left of Adonis, where the smalt was clearly mixed with white lead. The copper resinate greens used for the foliage have typically discolored to a dark brown.
The picture has suffered from overzealous cleanings, and the fabric is visible in many places where the paint has been abraded. During treatment undertaken in 1992–1995 extensive old retouchings and the badly discolored varnish were removed. The painting had been treated previously in 1924 and again in 1930, this time by Herbert N. Carmer.
Peter Humfrey and Joanna Dunn based on the examination reports by Catherine Metzger and Joanna Dunn and the treatment report by David Bull
March 21, 2019
Bibliography
- 1822
- Dibdin, Thomas F. Aedes Althorpianae: An Account of the Mansion, Books and Pictures at Althorp. London, 1822: 13.
- 1833
- Passavant, Johann David. Kunstreise durch England und Belgien. Frankfurt, 1833: 191.
- 1836
- Spencer, George John, 2nd Earl. Catalogue of the Pictures at Althorp House, in the County of North Hampton. London, 1836: 9 no. 71.
- 1921
- Graves, Algernon. Art Sales from Early in the Eighteenth Century to Early in the Twentieth Century (mostly Old Master and Early English Pictures). 3 vols. London, 1918–1921: 3(1921):210-213.
- 1922
- Thos. Agnew & Sons. Catalogue of Pictures by Old Masters. London, 1922: 8 no. 14.
- 1923
- Brockwell, Maurice. “Une exposition d’anciens maîtres à la Galerie Agnew.” Gazette des Beaux-Arts 65, no. 7 (1923): 55-56.
- 1923
- Fry, Roger. “A Monthly Chronicle. Old Masters Exhibition at Messrs. Agnew.” The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs 42 (1923): 54.
- 1924
- Holmes, Charles. “Titian’s Venus and Adonis in the National Gallery.” The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs 45 (1924): 21.
- 1925
- Mayer, August L. “Tizianstudien.” Münchner Jahrbuch der Bildenden Kunst 2 (1925): 276.
- 1926
- Marillier, H. C. Christie's 1766 to 1925. London, 1926: 50, 224.
- 1930
- Burchard, Ludwig. Unknown Masterpieces in Public and Private Collections. 2 vols. Edited by William R. Valentiner. London, 1930: 1:n.p.
- 1930
- Valentiner, Wilhelm R., ed. Unknown Masterpieces in Public and Private Collections. London, 1930: n.p., pl. 24.
- 1931
- Paintings in the Collection of Joseph Widener at Lynnewood Hall. Intro. by Wilhelm R. Valentiner. Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, 1931: 6, repro.
- 1932
- Berenson, Bernard. Italian Pictures of the Renaissance: A List of the Principal Artists and Their Works with an Index of Places. Oxford, 1932: 574.
- 1935
- Suida, Wilhelm. Le Titien. Paris, 1935: 120-121.
- 1936
- Berenson, Bernard. Pitture italiane del rinascimento: catalogo dei principali artisti e delle loro opere con un indice dei luoghi. Translated by Emilio Cecchi. Milan, 1936: 494.
- 1938
- Waldmann, Emil. "Die Sammlung Widener." Pantheon 22 (November 1938): 340.
- 1942
- Works of Art from the Widener Collection. Foreword by David Finley and John Walker. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1942: 7.
- 1944
- Cairns, Huntington, and John Walker, eds. Masterpieces of Painting from the National Gallery of Art. New York, 1944: 68, color repro.
- 1946
- Riggs, Arthur Stanley. Titian the Magnificent and the Venice of His Day. New York, 1946: 9, color repro.
- 1948
- Paintings and Sculpture from the Widener Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1948 (reprinted 1959): 23, repro.
- 1950
- Tietze, Hans. Titian. The Paintings and Drawings. London, 1950: 402.
- 1951
- Einstein, Lewis. Looking at Italian Pictures in the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1951: 86-87, repro.
- 1954
- Tietze, Hans. “An Early Version of Titian’s Danaë: an Analysis of Titian’s Replicas.” Arte Veneta 8 (1954): 201-202.
- 1955
- Evelyn, John. The Diary of John Evelyn (1620–1706). Edited by Esmond S. de Beer. 6 vols. Oxford, 1955: 4:162, 403.
- 1957
- Berenson, Bernard. Italian Pictures of the Renaissance. Venetian School. 2 vols. London, 1957: 1:192.
- 1959
- Gould, Cecil. National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Venetian School. London, 1959: 99.
- 1959
- Morassi, Antonio. “Titian.” In Encyclopedia of World Art. 17+ vols. London, 1959+: 14(1967):col. 147.
- 1960
- The National Gallery of Art and Its Collections. Foreword by Perry B. Cott and notes by Otto Stelzer. National Gallery of Art, Washington (undated, 1960s): 26.
- 1960
- Valcanover, Francesco. Tutta la pittura di Tiziano. 2 vols. Milan, 1960: 2:44.
- 1963
- Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. New York, 1963 (reprinted 1964 in French, German, and Spanish): 150, repro.
- 1964
- Morassi, Antonio. Titian. Greenwich, CT, 1964: 63.
- 1965
- Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 130.
- 1966
- Cairns, Huntington, and John Walker, eds. A Pageant of Painting from the National Gallery of Art. 2 vols. New York, 1966: 1:180, color repro.
- 1968
- National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 117, repro.
- 1969
- Pallucchini, Rodolfo. Tiziano. 2 vols. Florence, 1969: 1:142, 315.
- 1969
- Panofsky, Erwin. Problems in Titian, Mostly Iconographic. New York, 1969: 151.
- 1969
- Valcanover, Francesco. L’opera completa di Tiziano. Milan, 1969: 128-9 no. 429.
- 1969
- Wethey, Harold. The Paintings of Titian. 3 vols. London, 1969-1975: 3(1975): 59, 193-194, 241-242.
- 1972
- Fredericksen, Burton B., and Federico Zeri. Census of Pre-Nineteenth Century Italian Paintings in North American Public Collections. Cambridge, Mass., 1972: 203, 475, 646.
- 1972
- Rosand, David. “Ut Pictor Poeta: Meaning in Titian’s Poesie.” New Literary History 3 (1972): 539.
- 1973
- Zeri, Federico, and Elizabeth Gardner. Italian Paitnings. A Catalogue of the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Venetian School. New York, 1973: 81-82.
- 1974
- Garlick, Kenneth. "A Catalogue of Pictures at Althorp." Walpole Society 45 (1974-1976): 99, 108, 124.
- 1975
- European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 346, repro.
- 1975
- Gould, Cecil. National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Schools. London, 1975: 298.
- 1979
- Shapley, Fern Rusk. Catalogue of the Italian Paintings. 2 vols. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1979: 1:492-495; 2:pl. 348, as Titian and Studio.
- 1980
- Anderson, Jaynie. "Giorgione, Titian and the Sleeping Venus." In Tiziano e Venezia. Convegno internazionale di studi. Venezia, 1976. Vicenza, 1980: 339.
- 1980
- Gentili, Augusto. Da Tiziano a Tiziano: mito e allegoria nella cultura veneziana del Cinquecento. Milan, 1980: 115-116.
- 1980
- Heinemann, Fritz. “La bottega di Tiziano.” In Tiziano e Venezia: convegno internazionale di studi (1976). Vicenza, 1980: 435.
- 1981
- Siebenhüner, Herbert. Der Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza in Venedig und seine Tizian-Sammlung. Munich, 1981: 30.
- 1982
- Chiari, Maria Agnese. Incisioni da Tiziano: catalogo del fondo grafico a stampa del Museo Correr. Venice, 1982: 142, 157.
- 1982
- Fehl, Philipp. “Beauty and the Historian of Art: Titian’s Venus and Adonis.” In Atti del XXIV Congresso Internazionale di Storia dell’Arte, vol. 10: problemi di metodo, condizioni di esistenza di una storia dellárte (1979). Edited by Lajos Vayer. Bologna, 1982: 188; Reprint 1992: 107.
- 1982
- López Torrijos, Rosa. “Un dibujo de mitologia para las pinturas del Palacio del Viso del Marqués.” Archivo Español de Arte 217 (1982): 76-79.
- 1984
- Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 212, no. 259, color repro.
- 1985
- European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 396, repro.
- 1987
- Bertini, Giuseppe. La Galleria del Duca di Parma. Storia di una Collezione. Bologna, 1987: 134.
- 1988
- Gentili, Augusto. Da Tiziano a Tiziano: mito e allegoria nella cultura veneziana del Cinquecento. 2nd ed. Rome, 1988: 176-177.
- 1989
- Obnovlenskaia, N.G. Masterpieces of western European painting of the XVIth-XXth centuries from the museums of the European countries and USA. Exh. cat. State Hermitage Museum, Leningrad, 1989: no. 5, repro.
- 1990
- Titian, Prince of Painters. Exh. cat. Palazzo Ducale, Venice; National Gallery of Art, Washington. Venice, 1990: 328-330.
- 1991
- Kopper, Philip. America's National Gallery of Art: A Gift to the Nation. New York, 1991: 195.
- 1993
- Le Siècle de Titien. L’Âge d’Or de la Peinture à Venise. Exh. cat. Grand Palais, Paris, 1993: 616-617.
- 1995
- Fornari Schianchi, Lucia, and Nicola Spinosa, eds. I Farnese: Arte e collezionismo. Exh. cat. Palazzo Ducale, Colorno; Galleria Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples; Haus der Kunst, Munich. Milan, 1995: 208.
- 1996
- Rearick, W. R. “Titian’s Later Mythologies.” Artibus et Historiae 17, no. 33 (1996): 24, 34, 53.
- 1997
- Goffen, Rona. Titian's Women. New Haven and London, 1997: no. 131, repro.
- 1999
- Sutherland, Bruce D. “A Subtle Allusion in Titian’s Venus and Adonis Paintings.” Venezia Cinquecento 9, no. 17 (1999): 37, 49.
- 1999
- Valcanover, Francesco. Tiziano: I suoi pennelli sempre partorirono espressioni di vita. Florence, 1999: 267.
- 2001
- Pedrocco, Filippo. Titian: The Complete Paintings. New York, 2001: 260.
- 2003
- Hosono, Kiyo. “Venere e Adone di Tiziano: la scelta del soggetto e le sue fonti.”
Venezia Cinquecento 13, no. 26 (2003): 119, 125, repro. 127.
- 2005
- Bayer, Andrea. “North of the Apennines. Sixteenth-century Italian Painting in Venice and the Veneto.” Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 63, no. 1 (Summer 2005): 15.
- 2006
- Joannides, Paul. “Titian and the Extract.” Studi Tizianeschi 4 (2006): 139-140.
- 2007
- Humfrey, Peter. Titian: The Complete Paintings. Ghent and New York, 2007: 338.
- 2007
- Joannides, Paul, and Jill Dunkerton. “A Boy with a Bird in the National Gallery: Two Responses to a Titian Question.” National Gallery Technical Bulletin 28 (2007): 36.
- 2007
- Joannides, Paul. “Titian’s Repetitions.” In Titian: Materiality, Likeness, Istoria. Edited by Joanna Woods-Marsden. Turnhout, 2007: 46.
- 2007
- Markova, Vittoria. “Una nuova versione della Venere e Adone di Tiziano. Notizie storico artistiche.” In Una nuova versione della Venere e Adone di Tiziano. Exh. cat. Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice, 2007: 24.
- 2008
- Penny, Nicholas. National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings, Vol. 2: Venice 1540-1600. London, 2008: 277, 282-283.
- 2012
- Gentili, Augusto. Tiziano. Milan, 2012: 263.
- 2012
- Georgievska-Shine, Aneta. “Titian and the Paradoxes of Love and Art in Venus and Adonis.” Artibus et Historiae 33, no. 65 (2012): 99-100.
- 2013
- Evans, Godfrey. “‘Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself’: The Dukes of Hamilton and Titian.” In The Reception of Titian in Britain: From Reynolds to Ruskin. Edited by Peter Humfrey. Turnhout, 2013: 136.
- 2014
- Falomir, Miguel, and Paul Joannides. “Dánae y Venus y Adonis: origen y evolución.” In Dánae y Venus y Adonis, las primeras ‘poesías’ de Tiziano para Felipe II. Edited by Miguel Falomir. Exh. cat. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, 2014: 34-36, 67-68.
Related Content
- Sort by:
- Results layout: