I went to the National Gallery this week to see a special exhibit called “The Anxious Eye: German Expressionism and its Legacy”. I enjoy, if that’s the word, German art of the early 20th century, to see how the turmoil of those years is reflected in artists’ visions. My disappointment, if that’s the word, with this exhibit was how each work of art, irrespective of who the artist was, was so similar every other work in the exhibit. Almost “seen one, seen them all”.

So when I left that exhibit, and after I had a half serving of “deep chocolate” gelato (the other reason to visit the NGA), I decided to do something different: to select one piece of art, concentrate on it, and learn more about it than I otherwise would.

The portrait above is by Titian. A master artist, perhaps THE master artist if 16th century Venice, Titian lived a long (even by today’s standards) and productive life. Approximately 300 of his paintings remain today. Several are in Washington at the National Gallery.

Titian, known for his use of color, painted many portraits, as well as landscapes, religious scenes, and everything else. This portrait, painted by Titian when in his 40s, is of 12 year old Renuccio Farnese.

My thoughts was that this is a very attractive 12 year old, almost contemporary in his look, but that he seemed out of place in his fancy red and gold outfit. And what about that oversized cape? And who was young Renuccio anyway?

It turns out, from what little I could find out, that Renuccio had what in Yiddish is termed yichas, i.e., he comes from good stock. His father was a Farnese and his mother an Orsini, and both of those families were Renaissance Italy elite. And Renuccio’s grandfather, Alessandro Farnese had a very important job as well, where he was better known as Pope Paul III.

At the time this painting was done, the Farnese family was the leading family in Parma, just a bit west of Venice, where successful Titian was plying his trade. And this portrait was apparently commissioned for Renuccio’s mother.

What was our 12 year old Farnese doing at the time? Yes, of course he was studying. But, thanks to his grandfather and to the Italian custom of nepotism at its highest level, Renuccio was also the custodian of properties, including a large church, of the Knights of Malta, in Parma. And that oversized cape with the Knights of Malta cross is, of course, a Knights of Malta cape.

But what was Titian saying? Here’s a little boy with a man’s job? Here’s a little boy with too big of a job? Here’s a little boy who we hope will grow into his job?  We don’t know. Just like we don’t know what his mother thought of the portrait.

By the way, I only know a little about what happened to Renuccio, other than he died at only 35. I have read that he became a cardinal at 15 (I think that, in those days, you didn’t have to be a priest to be a cardinal) and that he became Bishop of Naples, Ravenna and Bologna (and I don’t know if those were three separate positions or just one).

I wish I knew more. Was a smart or dumb? Nice or nasty? And why did he die so young?

Going back for a minute to German anxiety, the exhibit also included a room of more contemporary works influences by the artists of the 1920s and 1930s. Here is one I like, by Israeli artist Orit Hofshi. Called “Time….the Ceaseless Lackey to Eternity”.

See you tomorrow