Tiziano Vecellio

Tiziano Vecellio (known as Titian) was the greatest representative of the Venetian School and he was recognized as a genius in his own time. He has been an inspiration to artists like Rubens, Velazquez, Poussin and many others.

In Italy, the woodcut was taken into new land by Titian. He never attempted engraving, but was very aware of the significance of printmaking as a capital of further expanding his own reputation. Titian drew directly on the block, and the cutter followed his characters as closely.

Drawings by Titian are extremely rare. Known in his paintings for exploring the effects of light, Titian showed that he could achieve similar effects simply by line. His concern for detail suggests the light, space, and diversity of forms. Unfortunately, there are survived only thirty-five to forty known drawings by Titian, though he was a prolific painter.