Portrait of Count Antonio Porcia 1548

Titian painted this portrait of Count Antonio Porcia in oil on canvas, a technique perfected in Venice. Oil paint, as we know, consists of pigments bound in linseed or walnut oil, giving a deep, luminous effect. Titian was interested in capturing the texture of fabrics, and the weight of metal. The production of the painting involved a complex division of labor; from preparing the canvas and grinding pigments, to applying layers of underpainting and glazes. Consider too the clothing of Count Porcia, and its textures and material. In the era of its making, these were highly esteemed art forms, but eventually came to be seen as secondary to painting. Looking at this work, we might reflect on the hierarchies that have shaped our understanding of art history. By emphasizing the labor and materials that went into creating this portrait, we challenge the idea that art is purely about individual genius, instead acknowledging the wider social and economic forces that underpin all creative production.