Titian Vecellio

1.

Titian Vecellio — “Ecce
Homo” (Behold the Man)
The artist is Titian Vecellio, one of the most important painters of the
Venetian school of the Renaissance.
The painting is in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.
The story is connected with a scene from the Bible. Jesus Christ is
shown to the people before his crucifixion. (распятие)
The painting is interesting because it is an example of Titian’s late
work. At this time, the artist paid more attention to emotions,
painting techniques, and the dramatic atmosphere.

2.

The Theft and Damage
In 1927, the painting was stolen from the museum.
The thief cut out the central part of the painting and
left the edges in the frame.
The stolen part was kept in a damp place for more
than three years. It was rolled up.
Because of this, a large part of the paint was
damaged or lost.
Even after its return, the painting needed serious
restoration

3.

The Discovery and Return
On September 26, 1931, the painting was found and
returned to the museum.
Works by Rembrandt and Carlo Dolci, stolen during
the same period, were also found
Titian’s painting was found rolled up (свернутый в рулон)
in a rusty metal container buried in the ground.
The painting was in very poor condition. Moisture
(влага) damaged the paint, and some parts of the
canvas were badly deformed.

4.

An Unexpected Discovery
During the restoration, specialists took an
X-ray of the painting and found an older
male portrait under the image of Christ.
The X-ray showed a man's face, a collar,
and other details.
Researchers thought that Titian had used
an earlier portrait as the basis for the
new painting.

5.

Why Was the Restoration Difficult?
The central part of the painting was cut out during the
theft, so the canvas had to be joined again after its
return.
The original painting was hidden under layers of
yellowed varnish and old restoration materials.
Specialists had to uncover it carefully.
Research showed that about 15% of the original paint
was lost, and another 15% was damaged by rubbing.
Today, the painting can be seen at the Pushkin State
Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. On February 5, 2020,
the painting returned to the permanent exhibition
after the restoration was completed.

6.

1. If a stolen painting is returned, but most of its
original paint is lost, can we still say that this cultural
treasure has been saved?
2. Should restoration bring a painting back to its
original appearance, or should it keep the marks of its
history, including damage caused by the theft?
3. If you were in charge of a museum, what would you
choose: to display a badly damaged original painting or
to show a perfect digital copy and keep the original in
storage?