Titian's Self-Portrait Emerges in Restored Altarpiece at Pieve di Cadore

A restored altarpiece by Titian, featuring a self-portrait, has been unveiled at the Archdeacon's Church of Pieve di Cadore. The painting, a Madonna and Child with Saints Titian and Andrew, was executed around 1560 and is the only work by the artist still in Cadore. The restoration, conducted by the Fondazione Centro Studi Tiziano e Cadore for its twentieth anniversary, was carried out by Francesca Faleschini of Galvalux over two months. Scientific analyses including X-ray, infrared reflectography, and microstratigraphic sampling confirmed the preparatory drawing, pigments, and technique, as well as later interventions. The restoration also revealed the authenticity of the colors and the exclusive hand of the master, without workshop intervention. A new lighting system was installed to improve perception. The work is a devotional piece for the Vecellio family altar, depicting Titian's self-portrait as the faithful man holding the pastoral staff of his namesake saint, similar to a portrait at the Prado. The face of his brother Francesco, who died in 1560, also appears. Comparison with Titian's Assunta dei Frari (1516-1518) confirmed the authorship through analysis of brushstrokes and control.