Titian

Samuel Levy BensusanProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 52K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Titian by S. L. BensusanAuthor: Bensusan, S. L. (Samuel Levy), 1872-1958,Language: English, Class: ND: Fine Arts: Painting, Release Date: Oct 21, 2013

Editor's review

This short English biography introduces Titian and his art to general readers. Written by the early twentieth-century British author Bensusan, it belongs to the Project Gutenberg free eBook series. The book traces Titian's career in narrative form, weaving the Venetian school's coloristic tradition, his relationships with patrons, and the basic character of his major works into the story of his life. The language is plain and the book is short, making it an easy introduction to Western art history. Its value lies not in cutting-edge research or high-quality plates but in offering a readable overall framework: readers can first gain a general outline of Titian before turning to catalogues or specialized studies. It is best read alongside images of Titian's works available online, looking at the pictures while reading. Because the book was written long ago, some judgments and factual statements bear the marks of their time, and readers should keep a critical eye. Overall, this is a small introductory book suited to browsing in spare moments and to building background knowledge.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Art lovers seeking an initial understanding of Titian and the Venetian school
Students who need an English-language introduction to art history
General readers who like entering art history through biography
eBook users who want low-cost public-domain art titles

Not a good fit for

Readers who need high-quality plates and detailed analysis of individual works
Professional art historians seeking current cutting-edge scholarship
Readers sensitive to statements shaped by the biases of an earlier era

Reading tips

Before reading, look at images of Titian's major works to form a visual impression, then turn to the text
Read chapter by chapter and revisit the relevant paintings after each chapter to deepen understanding
Approach the historical judgments in the book critically and supplement them with modern art-history works
Use the eBook's search function to read Titian in comparison with his contemporaries

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no background in art history at all?

Yes. The book presents Titian's life and works in narrative form, in plain language and at modest length, and assumes no specialist knowledge. It does discuss the Venetian school and contemporaries, so readers will follow more easily if they first look at some images of Titian's works.

Does the book include high-quality illustrations of Titian's works?

According to the available information, this is a free Project Gutenberg eBook and a text-based biographical study; readers should not expect high-quality plates. It is advisable to consult images of Titian's works online or in catalogues while reading to make up for the lack of illustrations.

What is the scholarly value of this short biography?

It was written long ago and is an introductory narrative for general readers rather than cutting-edge scholarship. Its value lies in providing an overall framework for Titian's career and an accessible background introduction. For specialized research, readers should turn to modern scholarly works, and they should read the book's judgments critically.

Comments

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About the author

Samuel Levy Bensusan Author · British · 1872–1958

Samuel Levy Bensusan (1872–1958) was a British writer, art historian and chronicler of rural life, born in Deptford, London. He worked early on as a music and drama critic, and later contributed painter biographies to the "Masterpieces in Colour" series, covering artists such as Velázquez, Rubens and Murillo. In clear, concise prose he sketched each painter's life and artistic character, bringing Western painting to general readers. His interests also ranged to distant places and literary landmarks, yielding books on Morocco and on Shakespeare's homes and haunts. In later years he settled in Essex, where he devoted himself to writing about country life and dialect in a plain, gentle style. Twelve of his works are held in this collection, some classified under inspirational growth.