In 1551, the future King Philip II of Spain, commissioned TITIAN , the most famous painter in Europe, to produce paintings showing classical Roman myths.

There is an overt black presence in TITIAN’s Diana and Acteon. Why is it there? What does it mean?

Andromeda was the daughter of the king and queen of Ethiopia, but in TITIAN’s Perseus and Andromeda she is white… why?

In TITIAN’s Italy, black people were part of society, appearing in the paintings of city life and of the rich and powerful. In Philip II’s Spain, there was a black population of over 2 million, yet blacks very rarely appeared in paintings and never in paintings of the ruling classes… why?

Black History Walks and Image of the Black in London Galleries have partnered to present the overt and covert palace presence in TITIAN ‘s work in a specially commissioned presentation. Timed to coincide with the unique exhibition TITIAN Lust Desire Death at the National Gallery, which for the first time in over four hundred years brings together the paintings the future Spanish king commissioned from the Italian painter.

If you want answers to the above and many other questions around the black presence in the works of TITIAN and European Renaissance art, this presentation is for you. Book now!