The Parisian exhibition season begins well

The Parisian exhibition season begins well. In the Louvre, until 4 January, together 86 paintings mainly of Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese. Even for those who are unfamiliar with the old masters, this generic is itself unique. The operation is a performance to more than a title. It required the transport of fragile ultra works - should be the Louvre to negotiate everywhere in the world this kind of loans. The tables are remarkable not only by their number but by their quality yet. Finally, despite its density, the expo was able to be didactic. It between into the Venice of the wealth of the vanity and competition, as it was in the 16th century.

It all begins with a quote from Vasari in 1528, regarded as the first biographer of painters: "When the nature creates a prominent man in a field, it does generally not only, but creates it at the same time a rival, so that it can benefit mutually from their talents and their emulation."The leading man is Titian. Tiziano Vecellio (1490-1576), elder of the protagonists of our history. The battle between titans of painting was born in the century while Titian is from 1510. It became the official painter of the Republic of Venice. Outstanding portrait, he knows how to give a psychological force to his subjects. First table of the exhibition: Pope Paul III Farnese in 1543. The purple cape of the old man gives power to the composition. It seems physically weakened but his gaze is thoughtful and hard at a time. Second table of Titian: Danaë, painted to 1544. A creature tempted by the pleasures of money. Titian does not condemn. He loves women and paints voluptuous. We admire them along the way. Voluptuous and nudes, soft look and satisfied, they are naked - in a sensuality that is not matched by its rivals.

Impetuous character

It is in this context that the son of a Venetian silk Dyer Jacopo Robusti Tintoretto (1518-1594), is a short learning among the absolute master of the time. The two characters marry evil. Tintoretto is under the influence. It will nevertheless seek inspiration, prints representative of the tables in the Central Italy, noteworthy for a new style called "Mannerism". Work key to his career, completed in 1562, is today visible at the Scuola di San Rocco Venice. "The Crucifixion", spectacular mural, was carried out by the impetuous character while the sponsors were still asked a sketch.

It is this type of methods that Tintoretto is hated by his contemporaries. It is in the city as in his paintings: energetic and impatient. His compositions are scholarly movement the personnages warnings. "Suzanne and the elderly", a biblical scene, shows a deaf-mute nude seated Suzanne, in water, the other leg folded under his arms, looking in a mirror. In the foreground on the left an elderly man lying spying the beautiful. Another is in the distance behind trees. The painting offers a multiplicity of reading plans, since large plan of the central character to the bottom consisting of a forest in which wanders a deer.

Great effects

Finally, Veronese (1528-1588), of his true name Paolo Caliari, is the son of a stonemason from Verona who arrived in Venice in 1553 to adorn the ceiling of the rooms of the Council of ten, the Palace of the Doges. His work is the synthesis between Mannerism and the use of expressive, expensive colors to Titien. Against all odds, the elder will encourage officially Véronèse. The latter like major effects as in its extraordinary "temptation of saint Antoine". To express the sudden visions of the old man of the Christian story, he painted it in a very tight framing, where he is literally stunned by his demons. But Veronese away performances of his time. To the extent that the tribunal of the inquisition the summons in 1573. It is then justified: "we painters, we take these licences are poets and madmen."

Dozens of tables later, the exhibition ends on another version of Danaë by Titian, conducted to 1553. Even more sensual, it exudes a unique pictorial power. The exhibition is like this, hypnotic. He would return several times, ignore the many public, to understand the breadth of this Renaissance painting.

Find the Judith Benhamou-Huet blog on: find the slideshow of the exhibition on