THE ARTSDESK
By Marina Vaizey
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| Titian, 'The Vendramin Family Venerating a Relic of the True Cross', c.1540 -c.1560 Oil on canvas |
UNITED KINGDOM---The huge and gorgeous
Titian,
The Vendramin Family, c.1540-c.1560, displays a frieze of males of all ages, three or four generations – and an adorable lap dog held close by the youngest boy – in marvellously sumptuous costume. The painting is surrounded with portraits by an ardent admirer of Titian's,
Anthony van Dyck, our interest in the Titian deepened by the fact that Van Dyck once owned it. It is but one of the stars of this fascinating sampling of the collecting habits of artists themselves.
"Painters' Paintings: From Freud to Van Dyck" at the National Gallery until 4 September. [
link]
