Portrait+of+Pope+Julius+II;+Titian,+1546


 * Master Copies Master? **

"Pope Julius II" copy by Titian after Raphael, in the Palatine Gallery, Palazzo Pitti Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

**HISTORY:**

Titian’s portrait of Pope Julius II hangs in the Palatine Gallery of the Palazzo Pitti in Florence. This portrait is dated after the one, and possibly two, completed by Raphael that hang in the Uffizi and the National Gallery, London. Although by two different (again, possibly three different) artists, they all look strikingly familiar (Aretino, 1995).

Titian was known for his portraits, but this one never stood out until the questions arose about the legitimate Raphael Pope Julius II portrait. Once pictures were circulated of the two and comparisons started to be made, the Palatine Gallery noticed the resemblance of the Titian with those of the Uffizi and the National Gallery (Hilton Monk Gould, 1970).

= sources: = = = Aretino, P. (1995). //Titian's portraits through aretino's lens//. University Park: Penn State Press.

Chiarini, M. (1992). //Pitti palace: guide to the collections and complete catalogue of the palatine gallery//. Florence: Sandak.

Francesco Valcanover, T. (1965). //All the paintings of titian: 1546-1576//. Oldbourne.

Hilton Monk Gould, C. (1970). //Raphael's portrait of pope julius ii: the re-emergence of the original//. London: National Gallery.