Historical Painting Techniques, Materials, and Studio Practice

Abstract

In September 1992 the J Paul Getty
Museum acquired Titian's VertUS and
Adonis, which is considered to be
one of the few of Titian's autograph
paintings of the sub ject. The inor­
ganic and organic pigments, oil
medium of the paint layers, and pro­
teinaceous medium of the ground
were examined using various analyti­
cal methods. In addition, the authors
studied Titian's other, much later
version of Venus and Adonis located
in the National Gallery in Washing­
ton, D.c. The comparison revealed
distinct differences in style and tech­
nique. This multidisciplinary study
has shown to be very useful in gain­
ing a better understanding of Titian's
working methods. The examination
also revealed useful information
about various aspects of early Italian
oil painting methods in general and
helps place the technique of this
painting by Titian in context with
other paintings of the period.

Te chnical Examinations of Titian's Venus and Adonis:

A Note on Early Italian Oil Painting Te chnique

Ulrich Birkmaier

Conservation Department

National Gallery of Art

4th Street and Constitution Ave. NW

Washington, D.c. 20565

USA

Arie Wallert*

The Getty Conservation Institute

Museum Services Laboratory

The J Paul Getty Museum

17985 Pacific Coast Highway

Malibu, California 90265

USA

Andrea Rothe

Department of Paintings Conservation

The J Paul Getty Museum

17985 Pacific Coast Highway

Malibu, California 90265

USA

Introduction

The story of Venus and Adonis, from Book X of Ovid's Metamorphoses, ends

with the name of a fragile flower: anemone. As the tale is told, Adonis was a

young man of unequaled beauty, who became the lover of Venus (1). Venus

was so much in love with him "that she even stayed away from heaven,

preferring Adonis to the sky. She used to hold him in her arms, and became

his constant companion." She warned her lover not to hunt dangerous ani­

mals: "Your youth and beauty, and the charms which make Venus love you,

have no effect upon lions or bristling boars, or the eyes and minds of other

wild beasts. The fierce boar deals a blow with his fangs, as swift as a lightning

flash ... "

Of course, Adonis did go out hunting. His dogs fo und a fresh trail, fo llowed

it, and roused a wild boar. Adonis tried to kill it, but with the help of its

crooked snout the boar dislodged the spear. The boar pursued Adonis and

"it sank its teeth deep in his groin, bringing him down, mortally wounded

on the yellow sand." Venus, on her way to Cyprus, driving through the air

in her chariot, heard her lover's groans. She went down, and with the dying

Adonis in her arms, said that an everlasting token of her grief would remain

there. His blood dripping to the ground would change into a flower, the

anemone. But, just like their love, the enjoyment of this flower is brief "for

it is so fragile, its petals so lightly attached, that it quickly falls, shaken from

its stem by those same winds that give it its name, anemone."

This story is represented in a series of poesie paintings of Classical subjects, by

Titian. Such paintings were very popular among wealthy patrons, as their

mythological subject matter usually provided an excuse fo r the depiction of

overt sensuality. King Philip II of Spain commissioned a series of poesies from

Titian. The Venus and Adonis now located in the Prado Museum in Madrid

is considered the first of the series to reach its patron in 15 54. The last one

was The Rape oj Europa of 15 62, now in the Isabella Steward Gardener Mu­

seum in Boston.

Another version of Venus and Adonis by Titian recently came into the col­

lection of the J. Paul Getty Museum. This work, showing Venus attempting

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Birkmaier, Wallert, and Rothe 117