They find a mysterious hidden portrait under a famous ‘Ecce Homo’ of Tiziano

Andreas Pittas art characterization laboratory researchers from the Chipre Institute have revealed a hidden enigma For centuries under the brushstrokes of a masterpiece of the Renaissance. A mysterious portrait, unknown until now, is hidden under the ‘Ecce Homo’, one of the famous paintings of Titian16th -century Venetian.

Revelation came thanks to a scientific analysis, a preliminary radiography and art historian Paul Joannides. Under the dramatic representation of Christ crowned with thorns, tied and presented by Poncio Pilate, the portrait of A man with a mustachewith a pen in his hand and a stack of papers next to him. His identity remains a mystery, which has led scholars to provisionally designate it as ‘portrait of an unknown man’.

The analyzes have revealed fascinating details about pictorial stratigraphy. “The microscopic observation of the cracking of the paint allowed us to identify several layers of pigment under the composition of the ‘Ecce Homo -explains Nikolas Bakirtzis, director of APAC. The technique used has allowed us to decipher the creative process of Tiziano and its use of canvases ».

During the study a surprising detail arose: the Venetian teacher, when repainting the work, deliberately turned the canvas down. This technical resource would have helped neutralize the original composition, facilitating the overlap of the new scene. The practice of Reuse canvases It was not rare in the Renaissance, but this discovery adds a fundamental piece to our understanding of Tiziano’s artistic strategies and his workshop. The comparison between both themes – a private portrait and a powerful sacred scene – reveals two completely different intentions. “They were designed for different audiences and customers,” says Bakirtzis. However, the central question is still open: Who is the man represented in the original painting? And why did the artist decided to cover it with a devotional theme?

The discovery not only enriches the knowledge of Tiziano’s techniques, but also raises new questions about his artistic choices and the context of his patronage. Research continues with the hope of shedding light on an enigma.