Hidden Portrait Unearthed Beneath Titian Masterpiece in Cyprus
A hidden portrait, concealed for centuries beneath a 1570 oil painting by Renaissance master Titian, has been discovered by researchers in Cyprus, CNN reports.
A rendering of the unseen work is now on display in Limassol, offering a glimpse into a secret hidden beneath the famed “Ecce Homo.”
The revelation came during conservation preparations of Titian’s “Ecce Homo,” which depicts Jesus Christ bound and crowned with thorns, standing next to Pontius Pilate. Researchers at the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC) at the Cyprus Institute (CyI), a non-profit educational body, noticed anomalies under the microscope, observing different pigments peeking through the craquelure, the network of fine cracks that develops on the surface of old paintings.
Employing a combination of advanced imaging and non-invasive analytical techniques, the team at APAC meticulously pieced together the hidden portrait. The unearthed image reveals an unidentified man with a thin mustache, quill in hand, posed next to a stack of papers or books. The portrait presents a stark contrast to the dramatic religious scene Titian ultimately painted over it.
Using X-ray visuals as a guide, experts have painstakingly recreated the portrait in oil, allowing the public to finally see the work hidden for so long.
The discovery sheds new light on Titian’s artistic process. Researchers are aware that the master, whose real name was Tiziano Vecellio, and his Venice-based studio, known for producing hundreds of paintings until his death in 1576, occasionally re-used canvases, painting over partially finished works. However, this instance reveals a fully realized portrait, which Titian remarkably turned upside down before painting “Ecce Homo” on top.
An exhibition showcasing Titian’s “Ecce Homo” alongside the rendered hidden portrait opened in Limassol in late January and will run until March 10, offering a unique opportunity to witness the unveiled secret beneath a Renaissance masterpiece.
