The Renaissance era was a splendid era of our art history. Although the Renaissance began five hundred years ago, many art masters still are well known today. They also achieved lots of masterpieces and left lots of aesthetics treasures to us. Those artworks reflect the artists’ thinking, techniques and the trend at that time exactly. Even nowadays, the Renaissance art continues to have a profound influence on modern art.Titian (Tiziano Vecellio 1485-1576) is one of those great masters, and is generally regarded as the leading painter of the Venetian school of the Italian Renaissance in sixteenth-century. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, a small town in northern Italy. In his early years, he became a student of the famous painter - Gian Bellini at that time, and studied with Giorgio da Castelfranco, another famous portrait artist. Titian’s paintings usually presented a mastery of color and an obsession with the effects of light. Because his painting style was very popular in the court, he became a royal portrait of the Roman Empire. He continued to paint lots of works in his elderly years and died in his house at 1576. Titian’s painting style was very unique and I would like to analyze one of his artworks in terms of four theories.
In his early paintings, the backgrounds usually were a nature landscape. Gradually, the neutral atmospheric backgrounds of his painting were replaced by deliberate elements of setting, such as a column, a curtain, or a view into landscape. Although those elements are backgrounds, the darker, blurrier elements certainly help the audiences focus on the main character easier. I think this transition also revealed that the artist had changed his concern from the observation of nature to the virtue of humanity and further to the spiritual sacredness. Furthermore, His works present his master of color and light, and the hazy figure outlines also show his sophisticated brush strokes. “Danae and the Shower of Gold (1554)”, one of five by the artist on this subject from Greek mythology, commissioned by Philip II of Spain, is a good example of his style. When you get close up to this painting, the brush strokes are fluffy, when you move away from it, the characters are crystallized and their figures are clear. The image provides a dreamy atmosphere and causes the viewers a strong feeling from the image. Similar with “Platonic love”, “Ficino coined the term “Platonic love” to refer to this higher, spiritual love between two persons who recognize this reflection of the Divine in each other. Platonic love is thus a three-part relationship between two humans and the Divine (God).”(Module 11, session 9) When looking at this painting, Danae, the graceful princess, she looks peaceful in her room. Nevertheless, her soul is trapped, lonely and eager for love. The brilliant gold shower, coming from out door, breaks king’s rule. In other words, this works presents a higher imagination than the painting itself. The spiritual part is higher than its primitive image.
Besides, the tender sentimental tones of this painting are similar to Aristotle's idea of nature beauty. The Danae is lying and her limbs are totally relaxed on the bed. But her servant, the person who belongs to the lower level, is trying to catch the gold shower laboriously. The characters in the story and the image that is presented by Titian both show natural humanity in an honestly way. Therefore, this painting also shows the same idea with Aristotle’s view in the natural beauty.
Doubtless, “Danae and the Shower of Gold” is an “Istoria” painting. “The term "istoria" comes from the Latin word, “historia,” which can mean plot or story, as well as history in the sense we use it today.”(Module 9, session 3) This story came from a Greek myth: Danae was a beautiful princess of Argos. Akrisios, Danae’s father, the king of Argos was told that he would be killed by his grandson. So, he locked his daughter into a tower for keeping her from any male. However, Zeus was charmed by her beauty and became a golden shower to approach her. Then Danae was pregnant and had a baby, Perseus. The feared king banished Danae and, her little boy. After growing up, Perseus killed Medusa, backed to Argos, and accidentally killed his grandfather by a quoit in an athletic game. This is an example of istoria because it depicts a dramatic story.
In my opinion, the Greek mythology really provides a great background for this artwork. Its plot is closely meet Aristotle's idea of tragedy. Aristotle thought that pity and fear are central to the tragic experience. From this story, the audiences are able to experience the pity and fear further get the catharsis, just like the trapped princess and the anxious king. Moreover, in the story, Akrisios locked his daughter into a tower. The fear of being killed by his grandson caused the mistake. The pity he feels for his daughter and grandson caused his tragedy: The characters in this tragedy present the ideas of Aristotle's theory of dramatic art.
Danae is a mature artwork of Titian, and it really reveals Titian’s concepts and painting skills. So I think it is a good example for the four theories above. However, I believe that there might be more than four theories in this painting. Further, even though only watching his artwork, the artist’s highly painting skills still are admirable.
Citations
Barton, Cheryl . "Academy of Art University online education." Module 11 The Proto-Renaissance . Academy of Art University. 21 Jan 2009 <>.
Barton, Cheryl . "Academy of Art University online education." Module 9 The Proto-Renaissance . Academy of Art University. 21 Jan 2009 <>.
"Titian." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 21 Jan 2009, 20:36 UTC. 22 Jan 2009
Bloom , John. "Coining a Myth: Titian's Danae and the Shower of Gold." ReimagineMoney . 29 July 2006. 21 Jan 2009
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