Rome – A new Titian exhibition brings *The Annunciation* from Treviso Cathedral to the Galleria Borghese. Since October 20, the restored altarpiece has been on display there alongside works by the Venetian painter from the Roman collection, including *Amor Sacro e Amor Profano*. The exhibition, curated by Maria Giovanna Sarti, runs through December 8, 2026.
The title *Tiziano. Dialoghi tra Sacro e Profano* describes the approach: two paintings with different purposes are to be viewed together. *The Annunciation* was created for the Malchiostro Chapel in Treviso Cathedral. *Amor Sacro e Amor Profano*, on the other hand, is generally interpreted as an allegory related to a wedding. This juxtaposition explores connections between faith, love, and the ancient pictorial tradition.
This temporary relocation was made possible by restoration work on the frescoes by the painter Pordenone in the chapel in Treviso. Titian’s panel itself also underwent conservation treatment. During this process, an inscription containing the date, the artist’s signature, and a reference to the patron was rediscovered. The altarpiece is dated to 1520; *Amor Sacro e Amor Profano* was created a few years earlier, around 1514.
What is on display at the Titian exhibition in Rome?
The exhibition draws attention to details that connect the two paintings. These include the female figures, the use of classical motifs, and references to the respective patrons. In *The Annunciation*, Canon Broccardo Malchiostro appears as a small, kneeling figure in the background. He commissioned both the painting and the chapel. In the painting from the Borghese Collection, a coat of arms refers to the Venetian patron Niccolò Aurelio. The interpretation of the painting as a wedding scene is widespread, but it does not conclusively explain all the details of the composition.
The exhibition is part of the events marking the 450th anniversary of Titian’s death. It also continues a series of small, thematically focused presentations by the Galleria Borghese. As early as 2022, the museum had compared its own Titian paintings with the loaned work *Nymph and Shepherd* from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. This time, the Diocese of Treviso is providing the central guest work. The Fondazione Centro Studi Tiziano e Cadore and the Magnifica Comunità di Cadore are providing scholarly support.
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