The Allegory of Marriage (French: Allégorie conjugale), also titled the Allegory of Separation (Allégorie de la séparation), and formerly known as the Allegory of Alfonso d'Avalos (Allégorie d'Alphonse d'Avalos), is an oil painting by Titian, made about 1530 to 1535, in the collection of the Louvre.[1] There are also two copies, done after Titian, in the Royal Collection.[2]
The light colours of the lady's dress, a combination of red, green and yellow, enclose her shapely form; beside this mass of strong light the figure of the man in his polished metal breastplate stands out dark; turning to the lady, but gazing out of the picture, he lays his hand on her breast.[3] With them are associated some allegorical figures—a child who represents the God of Love carrying his bow and arrows; a woman with a wreath round her hair, who lays a hand on her breast with a deprecating gesture; and farther to the back, seen strongly foreshortened, the head of a youth, who is holding up a basket laden with flowers.[3] While brightness pervades the foreground, calls out broad lights on the crystal ball and the breastplate, this last figure remains in a rich half-shadow, the head broadly set against a deep blue sky.[4]
Analysis
Gronau thinks St. Catherine in this Madonna may be the same model.[5]
Georg Gronau [fr] fancies the Saint Catherine of the London Madonna is the same female figure which is the central object of this picture.[5] He notes the same "roundness of form", the same profile, and the same "golden hair with its rich plaits entwined with strings of pearls".[5] He also mentions the Girl in a Fur as a point of comparison.[6]
The group was once supposed to represent the parting of Alfonso d'Avalos, Marquis of Vasto, from his young wife, Mary of Aragon, when he was about to set out for war against the Turks.[7]Amor himself, the Goddess of Victory, and Hymen console the grieving lady, who gazes meditatively into a crystal ball she holds in her hand, the symbol of the transient nature of all things human. Relations between this nephew and heir of the Marquis of Pescara and Titian are known to have existed.[3] On 2 November 1531, he wrote to Aretino: "We want to have Titian here, in Correggio; and if you can do anything to further his coming, I shall be very glad."[3] But whether this letter is connected with the picture is rather doubtful, in Gronau's view, as the features of the man in armour of the Allegory are not those of the Marquis del Vasto.[3]
Ricketts sees "some exquisite painting" in the Cupid.[8]
Charles Ricketts imagines that the woman who holds a crystal may represent Wisdom or Prudence, and the attendant figures with flowers and wreaths and darts may be the pleasures upon which the armoured warrior turns his back.[9] "Some trite allegory", he writes, "is more likely to be at the root of this 'poesie' than the theory advanced by Crowe and Cavalcaselle that the crystal-gazer is a pensive wife."[9]
The painting on display in the Louvre in its current frame.
The picture was in the collection of Charles I of England at Whitehall, having been acquired at a public sale in Spain, and was copied by Peter Oliver in 1629 and listed in an inventory of 1639.[1][10][11] It was sold in London in 1650, without attribution, as The family of ye Marquess of Guasto.[1] It was owned by Colonel J. Hutchinson of London and Everhard Jabach of Paris, engraved around 1660, and cited in 1661.[1] It was acquired from Jabach by Louis XIV of France in 1662, and is mentioned in an inventory of 1683 (no. 54).[1][10] The various replicas in existence, differing as to detail, show that this composition must have been famous.[10][2] Two early copies in the British Royal Collection may have been painted for Charles I directly from the Titian by Michael Cross (Miguel de la Cruz), a copyist employed by the King in Spain.[2]
Conservation
According to Ricketts, the Allegory in the Louvre was by 1910 in a "shocking state of partial damage by abrading and retouching, and by centuries of dirt".[12] The two ladies, as is often the case with popular pictures, have in his view been "terribly retouched", and some damage has happened to the exposed bosom of the woman who holds the crystal, some abrasure of the pigment, due possibly to the removal of an added drapery which at one time may have covered it.[9]
Gallery
Titian: Allegory of Marriage, c. 1630–1635
After Titian: Allegory of Alfonso d'Avalos, c. 1610–1690
After Titian: Allegory of Alfonso d'Avalos, c. 1625–1649
After Titian: An Allegory of Marriage, 17th century
L. Mattioli, after Titian: Allegory of Alfonso d'Avalos, c. 1700
A. J. Miller, after Titian: Allegory of Alfonso d'Avalos, c. 1833
After Titian: Alphonse d'Avalos, Marquis de Guast, 1867
E. F. von Liphart, after Titian: Allegory of Alfonso d'Avalos, Marqués del Vasto, c. 1877
Gronau, Georg (1904). Titian. London: Duckworth and Co; New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 87–88, 277–278, 284.
Phillips, Claude (1896). The Picture Gallery of Charles I. London: Seeley and Co. Limited; New York: Macmillan and Co. pp. 94, 98.
Ricketts, Charles (1910). Titian. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd. pp. 87–88, 179, plate lxvi.
"Allégorie conjugale (Allégorie de la séparation?), dit à tort Allégorie d'Alphonse d'Avalos". Louvre. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
"The Allegory of Alfonso D'Avalos c. 1610-90". Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
"The Allegory of Alfonso D'Avalos c. 1625-49". Royal Collection Trust. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
Further reading
Crowe, J. A.; Cavalcaselle, G. B. (1877). Titian: His Life and Times. Vol. 1. London: John Murray. pp. 374–375.
Phillips, Claude (1898). The Later Work of Titian. London: Seeley & Co., Limited. pp. 17–18, 46–48, 98.
Shearman, John K. G. (1972). The Early Italian Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen. Cambridge: Cambridge UP. p. 278.
Unger, Daniel M., ed. (2022). Titian's Allegory of Marriage: New Approaches. Amsterdam University Press. ISBN9789463729536.
April 07, 2023
allegory, marriage, french, allégorie, conjugale, also, titled, allegory, separation, allégorie, séparation, formerly, known, allegory, alfonso, avalos, allégorie, alphonse, avalos, painting, titian, made, about, 1530, 1535, collection, louvre, there, also, co. The Allegory of Marriage French Allegorie conjugale also titled the Allegory of Separation Allegorie de la separation and formerly known as the Allegory of Alfonso d Avalos Allegorie d Alphonse d Avalos is an oil painting by Titian made about 1530 to 1535 in the collection of the Louvre 1 There are also two copies done after Titian in the Royal Collection 2 Allegory of MarriageArtistTitianYearc 1530 1535MediumOil on canvasDimensions123 cm 107 cm 48 in 42 in LocationLouvre ParisAccessionINV 754 MR 506 Contents 1 Description 2 Analysis 3 Date 4 Provenance 5 Conservation 6 Gallery 7 References 8 Sources 9 Further readingDescription EditThe light colours of the lady s dress a combination of red green and yellow enclose her shapely form beside this mass of strong light the figure of the man in his polished metal breastplate stands out dark turning to the lady but gazing out of the picture he lays his hand on her breast 3 With them are associated some allegorical figures a child who represents the God of Love carrying his bow and arrows a woman with a wreath round her hair who lays a hand on her breast with a deprecating gesture and farther to the back seen strongly foreshortened the head of a youth who is holding up a basket laden with flowers 3 While brightness pervades the foreground calls out broad lights on the crystal ball and the breastplate this last figure remains in a rich half shadow the head broadly set against a deep blue sky 4 Analysis Edit Gronau thinks St Catherine in this Madonna may be the same model 5 Georg Gronau fr fancies the Saint Catherine of the London Madonna is the same female figure which is the central object of this picture 5 He notes the same roundness of form the same profile and the same golden hair with its rich plaits entwined with strings of pearls 5 He also mentions the Girl in a Fur as a point of comparison 6 The group was once supposed to represent the parting of Alfonso d Avalos Marquis of Vasto from his young wife Mary of Aragon when he was about to set out for war against the Turks 7 Amor himself the Goddess of Victory and Hymen console the grieving lady who gazes meditatively into a crystal ball she holds in her hand the symbol of the transient nature of all things human Relations between this nephew and heir of the Marquis of Pescara and Titian are known to have existed 3 On 2 November 1531 he wrote to Aretino We want to have Titian here in Correggio and if you can do anything to further his coming I shall be very glad 3 But whether this letter is connected with the picture is rather doubtful in Gronau s view as the features of the man in armour of the Allegory are not those of the Marquis del Vasto 3 Ricketts sees some exquisite painting in the Cupid 8 Charles Ricketts imagines that the woman who holds a crystal may represent Wisdom or Prudence and the attendant figures with flowers and wreaths and darts may be the pleasures upon which the armoured warrior turns his back 9 Some trite allegory he writes is more likely to be at the root of this poesie than the theory advanced by Crowe and Cavalcaselle that the crystal gazer is a pensive wife 9 Date EditAbout the traditional name there is certainly some mistake but the subject remains obscure 10 1 It was probably painted about 1530 to 1535 at the same period as the Vierge au lapin or the Madonna with St Catherine in London and not very far in time from the Presentation of the Virgin 10 1 Provenance Edit The painting on display in the Louvre in its current frame The picture was in the collection of Charles I of England at Whitehall having been acquired at a public sale in Spain and was copied by Peter Oliver in 1629 and listed in an inventory of 1639 1 10 11 It was sold in London in 1650 without attribution as The family of ye Marquess of Guasto 1 It was owned by Colonel J Hutchinson of London and Everhard Jabach of Paris engraved around 1660 and cited in 1661 1 It was acquired from Jabach by Louis XIV of France in 1662 and is mentioned in an inventory of 1683 no 54 1 10 The various replicas in existence differing as to detail show that this composition must have been famous 10 2 Two early copies in the British Royal Collection may have been painted for Charles I directly from the Titian by Michael Cross Miguel de la Cruz a copyist employed by the King in Spain 2 Conservation EditAccording to Ricketts the Allegory in the Louvre was by 1910 in a shocking state of partial damage by abrading and retouching and by centuries of dirt 12 The two ladies as is often the case with popular pictures have in his view been terribly retouched and some damage has happened to the exposed bosom of the woman who holds the crystal some abrasure of the pigment due possibly to the removal of an added drapery which at one time may have covered it 9 Gallery Edit Titian Allegory of Marriage c 1630 1635 After Titian Allegory of Alfonso d Avalos c 1610 1690 After Titian Allegory of Alfonso d Avalos c 1625 1649 After Titian An Allegory of Marriage 17th century L Mattioli after Titian Allegory of Alfonso d Avalos c 1700 A J Miller after Titian Allegory of Alfonso d Avalos c 1833 After Titian Alphonse d Avalos Marquis de Guast 1867 E F von Liphart after Titian Allegory of Alfonso d Avalos Marques del Vasto c 1877References Edit a b c d e f g Louvre a b c Royal Collection Trust a b c d e Gronau 1904 p 88 Gronau 1904 pp 88 89 a b c Gronau 1904 p 87 Gronau 1904 pp 277 278 Gronau 1904 p 87 88 Ricketts 1910 pp 87 88 a b c Ricketts 1910 p 88 a b c d e Gronau 1904 p 284 Phillips 1896 p 94 Ricketts 1910 p 87 Sources EditGronau Georg 1904 Titian London Duckworth and Co New York Charles Scribner s Sons pp 87 88 277 278 284 Phillips Claude 1896 The Picture Gallery of Charles I London Seeley and Co Limited New York Macmillan and Co pp 94 98 Ricketts Charles 1910 Titian London Methuen amp Co Ltd pp 87 88 179 plate lxvi Allegorie conjugale Allegorie de la separation dit a tort Allegorie d Alphonse d Avalos Louvre Retrieved 27 October 2022 The Allegory of Alfonso D Avalos c 1610 90 Royal Collection Trust Retrieved 27 October 2022 The Allegory of Alfonso D Avalos c 1625 49 Royal Collection Trust Retrieved 27 October 2022 Further reading EditCrowe J A Cavalcaselle G B 1877 Titian His Life and Times Vol 1 London John Murray pp 374 375 Phillips Claude 1898 The Later Work of Titian London Seeley amp Co Limited pp 17 18 46 48 98 Shearman John K G 1972 The Early Italian Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen Cambridge Cambridge UP p 278 Unger Daniel M ed 2022 Titian s Allegory of Marriage New Approaches Amsterdam University Press ISBN 9789463729536 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Allegory of Marriage amp oldid 1148614061, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
