The opening of the exhibition “Unseen Gaze – The Hidden Portrait under Titian’s Ecce Homo” in Limassol, Cyprus, presents the unique documentation, mapping and re-creation of an unknown painting by the great Renaissance master Tiziano Vecellio, also known as Titian. This exciting interdisciplinary journey of discovery and recreation was led by the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs) of the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC) of the Cyprus Institute.
Titian’s Ecce Homo (ca. 1570, oil on canvas), depicting Christ accompanied by Pontius Pilate and the figures of two of his captors, was documented and analyzed with the help of a broad range of advanced digital imaging and analytical spectroscopic tools aiming to map its material aspects and to uncover details of the works history and artistic techniques. Guided by the observations of Prof. Paul Joannides and a preliminary X-ray on the existence of an underpainting depicting a man, APAC Labs’ researchers were able to document the stratigraphy of the canvas and to reveal the material presence of a complete portrait, painted at 180’ degrees angle, under the Ecce Homo composition.
In preparation for conservation, microscopic observations of the craqueleure (pattern of fine cracks that form on the surface of old paintings) of the Ecce Homo showed the existence of different pigments under the composition. Their systematic study and analysis through the cracks, was like uncovering a puzzle. The close documentation and analysis of the materiality of painting layers led to a better understanding of the artistic strategies employed by the Renaissance master and his studio when reusing canvases. A unique discovery was to map the direct relation of the two paintings and to identify how features of the underpainting influenced details of the compositional development of the Ecce Homo work. Prof. Ioli Kalavrezou provided expert guidance and observations in efforts to locate and understand the relation of the two works.
The more recent use of a new multi-modal scanner, combining Macro X-Ray Fluorescence (MA-XRF), Reflectance Spectroscopy (RIS), and Luminescence Imaging Spectroscopy (LIS), permitted the complete material mapping of the two works and the unique scientific visualization of the portrait presenting an unknown professional man standing in front of a desk in an interior space. The prototype multi-modal scanner was developed by APAC Labs / STARC in close collaboration with the Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF), the Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine (FSP), and the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) in France.
In sum, the interdisciplinary scientific study of the Ecce Homo further confirmed its attribution to the great Renaissance master and has enriched the history of the iconography and composition of the Ecce Homo theme by Titian. The material re-discovery of the hidden portrait has shed light on the reuse of canvases in the studio of the master. For unknown reasons the portrait was painted over with the Ecce Homo composition. The fact that the new composition was effectively executed directly on the portrait painting points to an experienced, confident artistic hand, plausibly tracing the work of the leading studio artist, Titian himself!
Scientific results and visualization led to the re-creation of the lost painting with the close collaboration of artist and Dean of the Athens School of Fine Arts, Erato Hadjisavva, who drew of APAC Labs’ research data to draw and re-imagine the hidden portrait. Science, technology and art engaged each other in a cyclical dialogue aiming to shed light on centuries-old pictorial secrets and artistic practices.
-----
The exhibition is co-organized by The Cyprus Institute / STARC / APAC Labs, the Organization Cultural Capital of Europe - Lemesos 2030 and the Limassol Municipality. It is held at the Limassol Municipal Arts Center - Apothikes Papadaki, and will be open between January 24 to March 10, 2025.
Guided tours, lectures, and student seminars organized in collaboration with the Department of Fine and Applied Arts of the Cyprus University of Technology will unlock the secrets of the use of science and technology in the study of art. The exhibition, also supported by the Cyprus Department of Antiquities and museologically curated by Elston Alphas, presents a unique opportunity for art and technology lovers, students, and the general public to experience the exquisite craftsmanship of Titian and his studio, bringing a masterpiece of Renaissance Art to Limassol. Bridging the disciplines of Science and Technology, Art History, and Art, Unseen Gaze promises to be an enriching experience for the audience, shedding new light on the masterful oeuvre of one of Italy's most iconic artists.
Contributors
Organizers
Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs) - The Cyprus Insitute
Organization Cultural Capital of Europe - Limassol 2030
Limassol Municipality - Limassol Municipal Arts Center- Apothikes Papadaki
Curatorial Team
Nikolas Bakirtzis (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Andriana Nikolaidou (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Nicolette Vollero-Levy (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Research Team
Sorin Hermon (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Svetlana Gasanova (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Ropertos Georgiou (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Raphael Moreau (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Thomas Calligaro (C2RMF)
Michel Menu (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Nicolette Vollero-Levy (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Andriana Nikolaidou (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Rahaf Orabi (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Despina Papacharalambous (Medochemie)
Exhibition Design & Supervision
Elston Alphas
Exhibition Dissemination Material
Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs)
Organization Cultural Capital of Europe - Limassol 2030
Exhibition Construction and Set-up
Thomas Deenmamode & Simone Gingell
Texts
Nikolas Bakirtzis (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Nicolette Vollero Levy (APAC Labs / STARC, CyI)
Exhibition Area Maintenance and Support
Limassol Municipal Arts Center- Apothikes Papadaki
Printing of Graphics
6x6 Centre for Photography
Cut-out Texts
Stampa / CYENS Centre of Excellence
Printing of Exhibition Dissemination Material
Imprinta LTD
Antoniou Copycenter
Supporters
Medochemie Ltd
Cyprus Department of Antiquities (DoA)
Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF)
Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine (FSP)
Event Details:
-
24/01/25 - 10/03/25 | Opening hours: daily from 10:00 - 20:00 except Mondays
-
Venue: Limassol Municipal Arts Center - Apothikes Papadaki
-
Guided tour hours: Wednesday 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Friday 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm, and Saturday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm and 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm.
