Titian was born an artist.
What do you suppose he is doing there, one hand upon the limb of that tree?
“Going up for chestnuts.”
No; try again.
“Going to climb for a crow’s nest.”
Not he. See that bit of a branch in his right hand. He is looking at it to see its shape, the form and color of the leaves, and all about it. He will paint that whole tree in a little while—no, no; paint one on canvas just like it. When he is a few years older he will paint portraits, then great elegant pictures.
He was an Italian boy, born in 1477.
Columbus was then about thirty-five years old. He had just made his great voyage to Iceland and got back when Titian was a baby. I guess Titian saw the born voyager and discoverer, and as likely as not painted his portrait or ships. But one of his masterpieces, or greatest works, is St. Peter, Martyr; another, The Presentation of the Virgin.
L.
