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A hidden portrait, concealed for centuries beneath a 1570 masterpiece by Titian, has been unearthed by researchers in Cyprus.
A rendering of the original painting, which depicts Christ crowned with thorns, is currently on display in Limassol, while the newly discovered portrait has been revealed through advanced imaging techniques.
The underpainting reveals a mundane yet intriguing scene: a man with a thin moustache, quill in hand, stands beside a stack of papers or books. This prosaic image stands in stark contrast to the religious scene Titian later painted over it.
Professor Nikolas Bakirtzis, who leads the research team at the Cyprus Institute (CyI), explained the significance of the discovery: “The painting holds a secret, and the secret is that there is, unknown until now, a painting underneath.”
The identity of the man in the hidden portrait remains a mystery, adding another layer of intrigue to this remarkable find. Further research will hopefully shed light on the subject of the portrait and the reasons why Titian chose to conceal it.
The finished artwork, called Ecce Homo – meaning “Behold, The Man” in English – shows Jesus standing next to Pontius Pilate, who presided over the last stages of Jesus’ trial before he was crucified.
The painting was being prepared for conservation when researchers put it under a microscope and noticed different pigments through the craquelure, or pattern of fine cracks that form on the surface of old paintings.
“It was like uncovering a puzzle,” said Bakirtzis.
Using a combination of imaging and non-invasive analytical techniques, researchers at the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC) at CyI pieced together the full, buried portrait.
Based on the X-ray visuals, experts then created an oil painting of the man.
“It is clearly the portrait of a banker, a lawyer, some professional man in his workspace,” said Bakirtzis, an art and architectural historian who is the director at APAC.
An exhibit of Titian’s painting as well as a rendering of the hidden portrait opened in Limassol in late January and runs until March 10.
Born Tiziano Vecellio in 1488, Titian, together with his studio in Venice, produced hundreds of paintings until his death in 1576.
Researchers know that he re-used canvases on partially-finished work. In this instance, it was a full portrait, which he turned upside down and painted over with Ecce Homo.
“I am not aware of any case where we can safely map the direct painting of a composition over an earlier one,” Bakirtzis said.
Bakirtzis believes Titian used elements of the earlier painting for the new one, including using the man’s jawline to outline the ropes tying Christ’s wrists.
“This shows the hand of a confident artist. The leader, the head of the studio, Titian himself … and this is why this Ecce Homo version is the one which preserves Titian’s artistry,” he said.
