Portrait of a Man

In his portraits, Titian avoids gestures and facial expressions that would confine the subject to a psychological archetype. Immobility, a relaxed attitude, a meditative look, sometimes worried, the sobriety of dark tones: these portraits question more than they affirm. They leave the models with a margin of uncertainty, like those of Cézanne. We see them, situate them, but it would be imprudent to think we know everything about them. You have to guess. You have to imagine the risk of being wrong, as in life.