Titian and Workshop Reproductions

Titian and Workshop, Diana and Callisto, 1560-1565

As a major high renaissance painter Titian had quite a lengthy process between sketching, preparing a canvas, and the actual finished product. This process would have left a whole lot of by product for his workshop and apprentices to work from, and Titian was not opposed to reproduction and interpretations of his previous accomplishments. Diana and Callisto  is a good example of this, most notably the differences between the original and the reproduction above is the fountain which has gained significant height, the shortened depth of field, and the added clothing to the figures. 

There is no telling exactly how much of a hand Titian had in all of these reproductions, at times they seem very true to his style, and others merely based upon his concept and composition. It is frequently possible to find various forms of brushwork on the canvas, and it appears that Titian would leave the majority of the reproduction to his workshop in the intermediate layers, and then work on the upper layers himself.  

Titian did not limit the reproductions of his work to paintings, he frequently turned towards printmaking at the end of his life, apparently for its efficiency in getting his images to the general public and circulated. A wonderful example of this is Adoration of the Trinity (La Gloria) by Cornelis Cort, after Titian in 1566. 

This print, is essentially the mirror image of the original, which was reproduced from Titian's studio, proves that the renaissance artist kept all forms of his preliminary sketches. Otherwise Cornelis Cort would not have had the material to work from in the area that the print was reproduced. Instead of going to see the actual famous painting, many of these reproductions were made from the cartoons and preliminary materials which Titian kept on record not only for his personal use, but also for those who belonged to his workshop. These reproductions serve as proof to his artistic method, despite the actual cartoons having been lost in modern day.