Titian 86

Author: DeAgostini Publishing Company (English)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-06-01
Features: One of Veronese's works became famous due to a conflict with the authorities. In 1573, Veronese painted a massive Last Supper for the refectory of the San Giovanni e Paolo Monastery in Venice—this was a restoration project to replace the original work, which had been destroyed by fire in 1517. As usual, Veronese filled the entire scene with lively figures and rich colors, but most of them were not directly related to the theme. The Church blamed the secular elements in the painting for being unsuitable for the solemn subject, and Veronese had to defend himself by appearing before the Inquisition on June 18, 1573. The records of the trial still exist today—when asked, "Do you think clowns, drunkards, Germans, dwarfs, and other vulgar people are suitable to be depicted in the sacred Last Supper?" Veronese defended himself by saying, "It is the freedom of an artist to complete this massive painting in a way that suits their talent." Although the Inquisition ordered changes to the painting, Veronese eventually renamed the work from Last Supper to The Feast in the House of Levi, and the issue was resolved.