A Fountain of Rebirth: Conversion Imagery in Titian’s Sacred and Profane Love
Abstract/Description/Artist Statement
In the early sixteenth century, Tiziano Vecellio, known as Titian, became one of the most influential painters in Venice. He was known for his vibrant palette and unorthodox iconography. In Titian’s paintings, whether mythological or religious, the artist consistently referenced the city of Venice, his home. In 1514, Titian completed Sacred and Profane Love, now housed in the Galleria Borghese in Rome. Most scholars interpret Sacred and Profane Love as a marriage painting commissioned to celebrate the union of Niccolò Aurelio and Laura Bagarotto due to the presence of the Aurelio coat of arms in the painting. While this interpretation is largely accepted by scholars, no one fully considers the potential for other meanings. The painting’s visual parallels to Titian’s depictions of Mary Magdalene or the narrative sequence implied by the sarcophagus reliefs and flowing water points to an additional layer of meaning. This paper argues that Sacred and Profane Love presents two visions of Mary Magdalene, earthly and celestial, to show a full arc from human fall to spiritual redemption. The relief scenes of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel carved into the sarcophagus introduce themes of the origins of sin and violence. The water flowing from the sarcophagus recalls baptismal imagery and spiritual renewal. Rather than functioning solely as a marriage image, the painting becomes a visual reflection of conversion, echoing Venice’s identity as both sensual and deeply Christian. The paper draws upon biographical, iconographic, historical, and formal methodologies to support this interpretation.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Anne Muraoka
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Email
amuraoka@odu.edu
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
Art History
College/School Affiliation
College of Arts & Letters
Student Level Group
Undergraduate
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
A Fountain of Rebirth: Conversion Imagery in Titian’s Sacred and Profane Love
In the early sixteenth century, Tiziano Vecellio, known as Titian, became one of the most influential painters in Venice. He was known for his vibrant palette and unorthodox iconography. In Titian’s paintings, whether mythological or religious, the artist consistently referenced the city of Venice, his home. In 1514, Titian completed Sacred and Profane Love, now housed in the Galleria Borghese in Rome. Most scholars interpret Sacred and Profane Love as a marriage painting commissioned to celebrate the union of Niccolò Aurelio and Laura Bagarotto due to the presence of the Aurelio coat of arms in the painting. While this interpretation is largely accepted by scholars, no one fully considers the potential for other meanings. The painting’s visual parallels to Titian’s depictions of Mary Magdalene or the narrative sequence implied by the sarcophagus reliefs and flowing water points to an additional layer of meaning. This paper argues that Sacred and Profane Love presents two visions of Mary Magdalene, earthly and celestial, to show a full arc from human fall to spiritual redemption. The relief scenes of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel carved into the sarcophagus introduce themes of the origins of sin and violence. The water flowing from the sarcophagus recalls baptismal imagery and spiritual renewal. Rather than functioning solely as a marriage image, the painting becomes a visual reflection of conversion, echoing Venice’s identity as both sensual and deeply Christian. The paper draws upon biographical, iconographic, historical, and formal methodologies to support this interpretation.