Danaë - Titian (1554)

Titian (Tiziano Vecellio)

Oil on canvas

State Hermitage Museum

This sensuous masterpiece depicts the mythological Greek princess Danaë receiving the god Zeus, who descends upon her in the form of a golden shower. Titian, recognized by his contemporaries as 'the sun amidst small stars' and master of the Venetian School, painted at least six versions of this subject between 1544-1560s, with this Hermitage version being one of his most celebrated mythological 'poesie' (poems). The luminous rendering of flesh tones against sumptuous bedding demonstrates Titian's revolutionary use of color that influenced generations of artists from Rembrandt to Klimt, making this a timeless celebration of sensuality and artistic mastery.