Tizian and his representation of the “Annunciation”
Year mention: 1649
Subject:
The Annunciation
Conflict:
Inadequate manner
Indecency/Impropriety
Criticism:

Critic to the print made by Cornelis Cort, originally a copy of Tizian’s artwork in which Mary is depicted as if she wanted to cover herself with her headdress when the angel enters, who was depicted inappropriately naked

Agent:
Pacheco, Francisco
Cornelis Cort, After Titian (Tiziano Vecellio), The Annunciation, 1566
LACMA, Los Angeles

Indicating some of the “licenses” used by painters when representing the biblical passage about the Annunciation -and giving them the possibility to not make the same “mistakes” from that time onwards -, Pacheco mentions the print made by Cornelis Cort, originally a copy of Tizian’s artwork. According to the author, the former inadequately depicted Mary as if she wanted to cover herself with her headdress when the angel entered, which was also depicted with excessive nudity.

“And, although what has been said will suffice, for the sake of clarity we will point out some of the licenses used by painters in this story, so that they may be avoided from now on, which have been observed in the greatest men. Micael Angel and Titian, who left them printed, the first put the Virgin on her feet as if she wanted to flee from the angel; and the other, making a pretense of wanting to cover herself with her headdress when she enters, and both, the angel very naked”.

“Y, aunque, lo dicho será bastante, para mayor claridad advertiremos algumas licencias usadas de pintores en esta historia, porque se escusen de aquí adelante, observadas en los mayores hombres. Micael Angel y Ticiano, que las dexaron estampadas, el primero puso a la Virgen en pie como que quiere huir del ángel;y el otro, haciendo melindre de quererse cubrir con la toca cuando entra y, ambos, al ángel muy desnudo”

Keywords
annunciation, archangel, birth, Gabriel, Mary (Virgin), New Testament, overhearing, reading, standing, visiting

Terminology
licencias
Artist
Titian
Cort, Cornelis

Date mention
1649

Date artwork
ca. 1566

Iconclass Number
73A5

Source
Pacheco, El Arte de la pintura (1649), book 3, ch.12, 594
Literature

Pacheco 1990, 594, n. 13-15;

Permanent Link
https://www.sacrima.eu/case/tizian-and-his-representation-of-the-annunciation/