The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-06-25

s 3av, ..tiat my eyes ard hand iaiI m.
when am just beginning to under
Istant what painting is p ~-E
lie would probably have lived an,
! painted he, ond his hHndredih year
hut for the plague which RACED i,
Venice in 1876. Strongly attachs
to life, the old nan hastened t,
abandon the city Mijh lis SCH. an,
directed his steps toward Cadore
his native town. Finding the road
impsssablc from the immense mum
ber of iugitiyes. be was obliged tc
return to Venice, where he immcdi
atcly fell victim TO the disease
! Public funerals had been forbidden
by the Senate during the prevalence
of the scourge, but Titan was held
lin such honor that the law was sci
aside, and his remains were borne {,
the grave with the greatest pomp.-
ne was hurried in enc Of the church
cs Of Venice which his brush had
adorned, and Tor which his master
tpicce was painted--that famous as.
sumption which represents the Vir
GIN Mary ascending to Heaven. In
this church his pmains still rest.
and over them was erected in 1862.
nearly three centuries after his death,
Ia faost magnificent! monument.
The reader, perhaps, may feel
some curiosity 10 know the rank
which is assi"ucd this great painter
among The Other illustrious artists
~ho are usually styled The Great
hfastcrs.. i believe there isnssullon
the contipcnt Cf America ;, single
ricturc ~ Titan which could give
us an adequate idea of his genius
IL, indeed, we have any picture oi
his in America. have before me :
list of all the works certainly known
10 hc Icy him, and of the places
where they are now 10 be found bui
there is no mention of 1n.erica in
the cattaloure. We iausi, therefore.
depend upon Tie opinion Of those
who have studied the works OF this
master in the galleries and CHURCHES
Of Europe.
'POs;eriiy,' Gays ore noted
French critic, "llas placed Titan hy
he side Of i.aphacl and Corrrejo :
II he yioIds 10 the former III the
iaeai beauty of forms and in the
management of light, he is superior
TO both in coioring and general idd-
ity TO nature"
Sur Joshua Reynolds says of him ::
although the sts 10 of Titan may
not bc as chaste :,s that OF some
other italian schools, Le has never
Lheless kind OF Senatorial dignity !;
and in portraiture he was an artist Oi
the most elevated character. In his
fgures of women and children he
was elegance itself, and the forms
nhich he gave TO men were generally
grand, correct and majestic. AS 81
colorist, TiIian Is peerless more
true, more solid, than Rn5ems and
Paul Veronese, he has not less charm
and relief"
Another critic saws OF him:
'The talent OF Titan embraced
the most various kinds OF painting.
With him all is Consistent; the most
trilling detaii has its value. Moth
ing can he more Christian than his
religious pictures: nothing more
pagan or more charming than the
subjects which he borrowed from
mythology. AS to architecture and
anatomy, he had made special stud
les Of botn.''
Ills Contemporaries give him an
excellent character rs q mar, repre-
seniiug him as respectful, but never
serviie, to the princes and mobiles
with whom he associated. Free
from envy, he never disparaged &
competitor, and gave every eneonr-
aecment in his power to young ar
fists of promise. many of whom
became distinguished as his pupils.
Charles the Fifth, it is recorded,
when he rode or walked with Titan.
always gave him the place of honor
at his right hand.
81 can create = Duke, said the
Emperor, but where can | Ind an
other Titan -
The Emperor once picked up the
brush OF this artist when he had ac
cidentaily let it fall, saying to the
astonishcd courtiers:
"ritian merits well to be served
by Caesar"
An elder brother of Titan was
also painter Of considerable merit,
and Titian's eldest son executed
some works of hfs-0wn, besides as
sisting his father. Three cousins OF
Titan enjoyed some reputation rs
painters. and specimens OF their
works still exist-N y. Ledg'T.
An interesting illustration of the