Bridgewater Titians

Philip II, King of Spain (1527-1598)Philip II, King of Spain (1527-1598) Perseus & AndromedaPerseus & Andromeda Queen Elizabeth I as Diana and Pope Gregory XIII as CallistoQueen Elizabeth I as Diana and Pope Gregory XIII as Callisto Charles I, 1600 - 1649. Reigned 1625 - 1649Charles I, 1600 - 1649. Reigned 1625 - 1649 Diana and Callisto, by Peter Paul Rubens, after TitianDiana and Callisto, by Peter Paul Rubens, after Titian Philippe, Duke of Orléans, 1674 - 1723. Regent of FrancePhilippe, Duke of Orléans, 1674 - 1723. Regent of France Bridgewater House Gallery, 1900Bridgewater House Gallery, 1900 Titians at the National Gallery of ScotlandTitians at the National Gallery of Scotland Girl Holding Her FootGirl Holding Her Foot SabineSabine

Titian (Tiziano Vecellio)

Perseus & Andromeda

The Six Paintings

Titian and Philip do not appear to have had a written agreement with a fixed programme for the paintings, rather the set evolved in an impromptu way. Titian was given a freedom over the choice of subjects which was an exceptional privilege for the day. The other four paintings in the series are Danaë with Nursemaid and Venus and Andonis (both Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid), Perseus and Andromeda (Wallace Collection, London) and the Rape of Europa (Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston). Of the whole group, only the two Diana pictures formed a pair. They were delivered at the same time, but exactly where they were hung during their initial years in Madrid, or even if they were hung alongside the other paintings is unknown. It is likely that they enjoyed a number of different homes as the Spanish royal residences had been undergoing extensive renovations since 1550. They were recorded in the inventory of the Alcazar in Madrid as late as 1700.

  • Location Wallace Collection, London
By kind permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection, London.
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  • By kind permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection, London.