Vanity (Titian)

Vanity

Artist	Titian
Year	c. 1515[1]
Type	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	97 cm × 81.2 cm (38 in × 32.0 in)
Location	Alte Pinakothek, Munich

Vanity is an oil painting by Italian late Renaissance painter Titian, dated to around 1515 and now held at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, Germany.

History

The work was perhaps in emperor Rudolf II's gallery in Prague, before becoming part of that of the Electors of Bavaria. It is part of the Munich's museum since 1884. The first mention dates to 1748, as a work by Francesco Salviati. It was later attributed to Palma the Elder, Giorgione, il Pordenone and finally Titian.

Radio analysis has proved the presence of workshop additions (in particular to the mirror) above an original, probably by Titian, based on the Woman at the Mirror.

Description

The painting portrays an idealized beautiful woman, a model established in the Venetian school by Titian's master Giorgione with his Laura. She holds an oval mirror with a frame, which reflects some jewels and a maid who is searching into a case.

The woman was portrayed by Titian in numerous other works of the period, including the Woman at the Mirror, Salome and Flora, as well as some Holy Conversations.

Notes

References

• Valcanover, Francesco (1969). L'opera completa di Tiziano (in Italian). Milan: Rizzoli. 

Titian (List of works) Portraits Jacopo Pesaro being presented by Pope Alexander VI to Saint Peter (1503–06) A Man with a Quilted Sleeve (c. 1509) La Schiavona (1510–12) Vincenzo Mosti (c. 1520) Young Woman in a Black Dress (c. 1520) Man with a Glove (c. 1520) Laura Dianti (c. 1520–25) Federico II Gonzaga (c. 1529) Charles V with a Dog (1533) Ippolito de' Medici (1533) Giacomo Doria (1533–35) Isabella d'Este (1534–36) La Bella (c. 1536) A Young Englishman (1540–45) Clarissa Strozzi (1542) The Vendramin Family (1543–47) Pietro Aretino (1545) Lavinia Vecellio (c. 1545) Pope Paul III (1545–46) Pope Paul III and His Grandsons (1545–46) Equestrian Portrait of Charles V (1548) Charles V (1548) Isabella of Portugal (1548) Philip II in Armour (1550) Christina of Denmark (1555–56) Jacopo Strada (1567–68) Self portraits Self-Portrait (1546–47) Self-Portrait (c. 1560) History painting Pastoral Concert (c. 1509 – also attributed to Giorgione) The Gypsy Madonna (c. 1510) Miracle of the Jealous Husband (1511) The Three Ages of Man (c. 1512–14) Balbi Holy Conversation (c. 1513) Sacred and Profane Love (c. 1514) Tarquin and Lucretia (1515) Flora (c. 1515) Salome (c. 1515) Vanity (c. 1515) Violante (c. 1515) Woman with a Mirror (c. 1515) The Tribute Money (c. 1516) The Worship of Venus (1518–19) Venus Anadyomene (c. 1520) Averoldi Polyptych (1520–22) Bacchus and Ariadne (1520–23) The Bacchanal of the Andrians (1523–26) Venus of Urbino (1538) Alfonso d'Avalos Addressing his Troops (1540) Venus and Music (1547) The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence (c. 1548–59) The Punishment of Tythus (1549) The Fall of Man (c. 1550) Venus and Adonis (c. 1553) Danaë (series) (1543–56) Mater Dolorosa (c. 1555) Venus with a Mirror (1555) Diana and Actaeon (1556–59) Diana and Callisto (1556–59) The Death of Actaeon (c. 1559–75) Venus and Adonis (c. 1560) Venus Blindfolding Cupid (c. 1565) Allegory of Prudence (c. 1565–70) Tarquin and Lucretia (1569–71) Punishment of Marsyas (1570–76) Biblical Christ Carrying the Cross (c. 1505 – also attributed to Giorgione) St. Mark Enthroned (c. 1510) Noli me tangere (c. 1514) Assumption of the Virgin (1516–18) Pesaro Madonna (1519–26) Gozzi Altarpiece (1520) Malchiostro Annunciation (c. 1520) The Entombment of Christ (c. 1520) The Madonna of the Rabbit (1530) Penitent Magdalene (1533) Saint John the Baptist (1540) The Crowning with Thorns (1542–43) Saint Jerome in Penitence (1552) Saint Jerome in Penitence (1575) Crucifixion (1558) The Entombment (1559) St Margaret and the Dragon (c. 1559) Annunciation (1559–64) Madonna and Child with Saints Luke and Catherine of Alexandria (c. 1560) Penitent Magdalene (1565) Saint Sebastian (c. 1575) Pietà (1576)