Evening star., 1939-10-15
Portrait by an Supposed Lost for Centuries Identified Capital
Subject Is
Venetian
Sculptor
Corcoran Gallery's
Prize Attracting
New Attention
Rv Leila MechIin.


Included In the w. A. Clark COL
lection of the Corcoran Gallery OF
Art is a portrait of young man by
Titan. It is not large canvas,
being only 3lH inches high by Is
inches wide, and is merely entitled
Portrait in Black" For some years
1t has hung in the round room at
the head of the main staircase, in
which are to be found other master
pieces in the Clark collection. OF
late it has attracted the attention
of certain outstanding scholars and
been identified as a likeness of a
young Venetian sculptor, listed
within hundred years of Titian's
death, as in a famous Italian noble
mans private collection, but now
for several centuries supposed to be
lost.
Recently the Art News of New
York, edited by DR.. Aired Frankfurt
ter, announced that documentary
Identification, complete as to subject
and date, had been made of this
portrait by Dr. w. Suida, author of
a definitive catalogue of Titan, in
the course of his first visit to Ameri-
ca; and now, in the october number
of Art in America, an illustrated
quarterly, edited by Frederic Faif1eld
Sherman, there appears note by
DR.. Hans TietZe, world authority on
Titan, verifying and enlarging upon
his colleagues findings.
For some unknown reason, al
though this portrait has been on
view now for long time, and the
name of the subject is clearly let
tered across the top of the canvas,
"Martinus Pasqua-Ligo Statuarius
-Venetus," with, below, Titian's
signature, "Titianus," it has never
been recognized by experts or in
cluded in the literature of Titian's
art. mo book on Titan, my own
Included" DR.. Tietze confesses,
mentions the Portrait of a Youth
In the w. A. Clark Collection in the
Corcoran Gallery of Art in Wash
ington, although it has been ia
nous work from the beginning"
Now, at last, it is receiving its due.
Among Art Wonders.
Carlo Ridolfi, the Official biogra-
} pher of Venetian painters" listed it
in THE Wonders of Art" published
in Venice in 1648, and later in his
life, of Palma Giovane, by name,
and as hanging in the house of Bo-
rotolo de Fino. There is now no
doubt that the portrait at the Cor
coran Gallery of Art is the original
and identical canvas, both because
Of the inscription and its "stylistic
characteristics"
The subject, MARITIME Pasqualigo-
Observation-Disclosures great amount
Of fame as sculptor, and no known
examples of his work exist. He must
have done enough to make it seem
appropriate to Titan to give him the
appellation "Statuarius," but the
eact is that his fame is chiefly de-
rived from this portrait by one of
the greatest painters of all time.
Born in Venice, he studied sculpture
under Leone Leoni in Milan. He is
supposed to have established himself
in Venice about 1914, shortly after
which time he must have sat for his
portrait to Titan. This supposition
Is based on the youthful appearance
of the sitter and the fact that the
style of the painting comedies with
other portraits by Titan of that
period. The brushwork is simple and
direct, but the style less grandioSe
and imposing than in later days.
Also, with the exception of the glow
beneath the surface of the skin in
face and hands, the canvas is dull,
whereas we associate Titan with the
great coloriStS. Furthermore, there
is almost no other known portrait
by Titan which is inscribed.
Picture Still Vital.
AS to the portrait itself, which had
been declared lost and now is found,
much can be said. 1t is as vital to-
day as when four centuries ago it
was painted. From out the canvas
the eyes of this callow youth, pos
sibly with his ambitions and self
confidence little hidden, look inquir-
ingly, perhaps little quizzically,
into those of the observer. The
mouth is, If a trif1e weak, we'll
formed and mobile. A somewhat
rumpled lace collar and narrow lace
edging around the cuffs lighted the
effect Of the black velvet coat which
Is, however, in excellent accord with
the hair and eyes. In short, here we
have an authentic Interpretation of
personality made by one of the
greatest portraitists of all time-a
precious posseSsion