Titian

by Norbert Wolf

Now available in a flexi-cover edition, this book offers a multi-dimensional exploration of Titian's life and art. One of the original celebrity artists, Titian was famous for his beguiling personality as he was for his masterful paintings. This book introduces readers to the Venetian artist with an innovative format that marries Titian's voice with his works, allowing the artist's own words to deepen the appreciation of his achievements. An illustrated timeline and a pictorial tour of the galleries where his works now reside reveal how this contemporary of Michelangelo and Raphael broke new ground in nearly every genre of portraiture, altar pieces, the rendering of mythological themes, frescoes, and pastoral landscapes. Numerous superb reproductions illuminate not just the breadth of his oeuvre, but also the mastery with which he employed light and color to lend his paintings the sensuous energy for which he is so admired. Norbert Wolf's engaging text unlocks many of the mysteries surrounding Titian's celebrity, making this journey into the artist's world as intriguing as it is informative.

Genres: Art, Reference

144 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2012

About the author

Norbert Wolf is an art historian and author based in Munich. He has published several books with Prestel, including "Art Nouveau", "Art Deco", "Impressionism", "Spanish Painting", and "The Golden Age of Dutch and Flemish Painting", as well as monographs on Albrecht Dürer and Titian.

Reviews

[Wilde Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life and works of an artist are explored in this book.

The artwork was very impressive and the narrative was reasonable, but a bit repetitive. The time line at the end of the book was useful.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A succinct and focused look at the prince of Venetian painters -- and a nice break from reading word-only text. I obtained this volume from a discount bookseller to build on what I learned about Titian during a teacher institute last summer at the National Gallery of Art. Wolf focuses his narrative on Titian's most significant accomplishments but makes sure to address the major categories of the artist's work. The illustrations are top quality and frequently zoom in on details in the paintings. Wolf has written about other masters; if all books in the series are of this quality I'll be investing in more of them.

[K.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chocked full of gorgeous illustrations of Titian’s work, this book is accompanied by a description of the artist’s life, the backstory of some of the historical figures he interacted with, and criticism of his work. As someone who’d seen his paintings, but knew very little about Titian, his background, or the story behind those paintings, this was an engaging, informative read, well balanced between pictures and prose.

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chocked full of gorgeous illustrations of Titian’s work, this book is accompanied by a description of the artist’s life, the backstory of some of the historical figures he interacted with, and criticism of his work. As someone who’d seen his paintings, but knew very little about Titian, his background, or the story behind those paintings, this was an engaging, informative read, well balanced between pictures and prose.