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Portrait of the Lady and her Daughter (Emilia Vecellio or Lavinia Vecellio and her daughter )
Titian (Tiziano Vecellio), 1550-60
Renaissance

The history of the painting is extraordinary and its survival a miracle. Since its creation in about 1550, the life of the painting has been exciting. It is thought that is a Titian's, unique double portrait of a mother and daughter whose subjects remain an intriguing mystery. Some scholars and art critics agreed that the sitters are Titian's daughter Emila with one of his granddaughters. The rediscovered picture caused much excitement in artistic world. Its unfinished state provides a fascinating glimpse in his working methods and technique. It also offering the chance to further examines the later style of his painting. More over, the composition of this charming portrait of a young woman putting an arm around a child is unique for Titian works. Titian, appointed as the official painter to the Venetian Republic (1516 - 1550), was the leading portrait painter of the XVI century. His portraits were flattering and sympathetic. He had remarkable abilities to please his sitters, yet retain an artistic integrity and insight into individual. He established compelling model for aristocratic portraiture, which remains influential for centuries. His portraits stand at the head of a tradition, championed by such artists as Rubens, van Dyck, Reynolds and Sargent.

Like many portrait painters he concentrating on the heads, quickly capturing the likeness of mother and child. As a result, both heads and the faces of the sitters are carefully worked to the last smallest detail, but the lady's arm and hand, in particular, are sketchily done. Emilia is shown as at a moment when her mature beauty is splendid and maternal. Her appearance is fashionable. Her thick blond hair is curled back in a torciglione (an eel-shaped motive) across her forehead. Her dress is elaborate and ample. Her daughters brown hair is adorned with pearls. She has an earring probably of amethyst. Her beautiful eyes are looking directly at the viewer, but her daughter is looking at the feather in the hand of her mother.

Titian died in 1576 from the plague leaving the painting unfinished. The work was painted over after Titian's death probably by one of his pupils, to portray the Biblical story of the angel Raphael who accompanied Tobias on a journey to recover money for his father, presumably for commercial reasons. The two faces remaining largely intact, but the Lady was given wings and became the Archangel Raphael, while her daughter was given a male hairstyle to become Tobias. The primary intention may have been to sell it to the church but for unknown reason the painting remained in Titian's house after his death. In 1581 Titian's good friend Cristoforo Barbarigo had bought Titian's house and studio including all its contents and other unfinished works. The Tobias and the Angel remained in Barbarigo's collection till 1850, when Barbarigo collection was sold to Tsar Nicolas I of Russia. However, a few years later the Tsar was suggested by his art experts to sell part of his collection. The Tobias and the Angel was purchased buy Russian aristocrat Count Tyszkiewicz. By the 1920 the painting was purchased by French art dealer, Rene Gimpel. At the outbreak of World War II, to avoid confiscation by Germans, Rene Gimpel sent all his paintings to hiding place in London. He joined and fought in the French Resistance against German occupation. He was captured and sent to the slave-labour camp at Neuengamme and perished in 1944. Before his death he did not reveal the location of his collection. In 1946 the Titian along many others was discovered by his son Ernest in a garage in Bayswater which had been damaged by German bombs during the Blitz. Narrowly escaped destruction Titian' In 1948 The Tobias and the Angel has been X-rayed by Stephen Rees-Jones at the Courtauld Institute Technology Department when the underlaying composition became apparent for the first time. The Lady and her Daughter had not been seen for 400 years. After two decades of careful restoration his important although not finished work by the master has appeared from under the less skillful efforts of one of his pupils. During the restoration the angel's wings, the masculine hear-cuts and the fish presented to the boy have been removed.

This remarkable discovering of little-known masterpiece by Titian will be offered in Christie's sale of Old Master Pictures on December 8, 2005. It is the most important work by the master to come to public auction for many years.