Titian: 450 years since the death of the Renaissance master

The year 2026 marks the 450th anniversary of the death of Tiziano Vecellio, a master of the Renaissance and a pioneer in landscape painting. Tiziano passed away at the age of ninety on August 27, 1576, in Venice during a plague epidemic.

To commemorate his legacy, various events are being organized, particularly in his birthplace, Pieve di Cadore, under the title ‘Titianus Cadorinus 1576-2026’. Initiatives include a special stamp from Poste Italiane and a scenic reading titled ‘Mentre Venezia muore: l’ultimo voto di Tiziano’.

A major exhibition, ‘Tiziano e il Paesaggio’ (Titian and the Landscape), is currently hosted at the Palazzo della Magnifica Comunità di Cadore until October 18. Curated by Bernard Aikema and Thomas Dalla Costa, the exhibition features 33 works, including paintings and drawings. The collection highlights how Tiziano revolutionized art by integrating human figures with landscapes rather than using scenery as a mere backdrop, influencing subsequent European artists such as Albrecht Dürer and Lucas Cranach.