Conference by Maria Agnese Chiari Moretto Wiel: Titian behind the scenes

The conference by Maria Agnese Chiari Moretto Wiel offers a reinterpretation of the relationship between Titian and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, going beyond the more famous works such as the Christ Carrying the Cross and the Annunciation.

Through the analysis of documents, artworks, and historical sources, the role of the master in the life of the Venetian brotherhood, his presence among the members of the association, and the events related to the decorative projects of the buildings, including the tensions with Tintoretto and the failure to realize certain commissions, will be explored.

The aim is to reconstruct the complexity of the ties between Titian and one of the most important institutions in 16th-century Venice.

The connection between Titian and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco is mainly known through famous - and controversial - works like the Christ Carrying the Cross, but his name is also associated with the large woodcut featuring Saint Roch and Stories of His Life and the splendid Annunciation, the first prestigious work to enter the monumental headquarters of the brotherhood.

However, less known is the actual extent of the master's presence in the life of the association - among whose members he appears at least since the 1920s - and in the decoration of its buildings: from the events that involved the young Tintoretto to the unrealized large canvas intended for the hall of the Albergo.

The objective is to provide a comprehensive re-reading of the sources, putting into dialogue artworks, documents, and historiographical tradition, to delve into the complex relationships that tied Titian to the Venetian brotherhood.

Maria Agnese Chiari Moretto Wiel is an art historian and holds a PhD in Art History (1989), specialized in Venetian painting and graphic art of the 16th century and the history of the ancient Schools of Venice.

She is the author of about 150 scientific publications and holds prominent roles at the Ateneo Veneto and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco.

Since 1981, she has been teaching the History of Venetian Art at the Venetian campus of Wake Forest University.

She has also taught at Ca' Foscari University Venice, the San Lorenzo Giustiniani Higher Institute of Religious Sciences, Duke University, and Venice International University.

She has curated important exhibitions and participated in scientific committees for conferences and international initiatives, mainly dedicated to Tintoretto.

She currently is part of the scientific committee for the conference dedicated to Giovanni Antonio Fumiani.

Alongside her academic work, she has been engaged in artistic dissemination through videos, television documentaries, and historical-artistic consulting for private individuals and auction houses.

Her collaboration with the Scuola Grande di San Rocco is particularly significant, as she has overseen projects for the protection, enhancement, and restoration of artistic heritage, including Titian Vecellio's Annunciation and Tintoretto's Crucifixion.

Admission to the conference is free.