Knight of Malta with a watch 

Titian’s portrait presents us with a Knight of Malta holding a watch, rendered in oil. The stark white, eight-pointed cross emblazoned on the Knight's chest is an emblem deeply rooted in medieval Christendom, a symbol of sacrifice and service. We see echoes of this cross in earlier Crusader imagery, each point signifying a beatitude. Yet here, juxtaposed with the watch, it speaks to a new Renaissance concern: time. Consider the memento mori tradition, where skulls and hourglasses remind us of life's transience. The watch serves a similar purpose, an early technological marvel now imbued with the weight of mortality. This symbol, appearing in portraits of the era, mirrors the humanistic fascination with measuring and mastering time. It is a motif that reappears throughout history, from medieval vanitas paintings to contemporary art.