Reuniting Titian's 'Poesie' After Four Centuries

In the 16th century, Titian painted a series of ravishing mythological scenes — his 'poesie' — for King Philip II of Spain. For the first time in more than four centuries, the National Gallery's 2020 exhibition reunited them.

Drawn from the myths of Ovid, paintings like 'Diana and Actaeon' and 'The Rape of Europa' blaze with colour, sensuality and drama — the work of the greatest Venetian painter at the height of his powers.

Gathered from museums across Europe and the US, the reunion was a once-in-a-lifetime event, briefly interrupted by the pandemic but unforgettable for those who saw it.

Image: “Titian - Diana and Actaeon - Google Art Project” — Titian, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.