_Church of the Frari, Venice_]
Though the bishop of Paphos comes to render thanks, his attitude is far
from humble. There are no bowed heads in the kneeling company. These
proud Pesari all hold themselves erect in conscious self-importance. It
is as if they were taking part in some pageant. Only the face of the
youth in the corner relaxes from dignified impassivity and looks
wistfully out at us.
The Madonna leans graciously from her high throne and looks into the
face of the bishop. She, too, has the proud aspect and demeanor which
these haughty Venetians would demand of one whom they were to honor. Her
splendid vitality is what impresses us most forcibly. The child is a
merry little fellow who does not concern himself at all with the
ceremony. He has caught up his mother's veil in the left hand, drawing
it over his head as if in a game of hide and seek with St. Francis. The
little foot is kicked out playfully as he looks down into the good
saint's face.
Let us consider a moment the skill with which Titian has united the
various parts of his picture. The canvas was of an awkward shape, being
of so great height. To fill the space proportionately, the Virgin's
throne is placed at a height which divides the picture. The little
cloud-borne cherubs break the otherwise undue length of the temple
pillars. The composition of the group is outlined in a rather
odd-shaped triangle. All its main lines flow diagonally toward a focus
in the face of the Virgin, who is of course the dominant figure in the
company.
Notice the continuous line extending from the top to the bottom of the
group. The folds of the Madonna's drapery are ingeniously carried on in
the rich velvet throne hanging; and St. Peter's yellow mantle falls well
below, where the bishop's robe takes up the lines and carries them to
the pavement. There is a veritable cascade of draperies flowing
diagonally through the centre of the picture. The staff of the banner
describes a line cutting this main diagonal at exactly the same angle,
and thus avoiding any one-sided effect in the picture. In the right of
the composition the outline of the Christchild's figure, the arm of St.
Francis, and the stiff robe of Benedetto make a series of lines which
enclose the triangle on that side.
The critic Ruskin has enunciated a set of laws of composition nearly all
of which find illustration in this painting.[29] _Principality_ is well
exemplified in the prominence of the Virgin's position and the flow of
the lines toward her. _Repetition_, _Contrast_, and _Continuity_, are
seen in the drawing of the compositional lines, as has been indicated.
Finally, the picture is perfect in _Unity_, which is the result of
masterly composition, its many diverse parts being bound closely
together to form a harmonious whole.