In this artwork, how is the Commentary discussed?
The Scottish National Gallery describes the painting as a poetic meditation on the transience of human life and love set in a pastoral landscape, in consonance with popular Italian poetic movements of the time period. The Three Ages of Man is divided into three distinct life-stages representative each of the implications of psychological maturity that are likely to occur at each stage. At the right Cupid playfully clambers over two sleeping putti; this portion of the piece represents infancy. At the left we see young lovers about to embrace. Titian breaks chronology between life phases by placing these lovers in the far left and at the foremost distance from the viewer. This serves to emphasize the most perfect phase of life, as the lovers sit enamored on flat ground covered with the healthiest, most vibrant grass within the landscape, not having yet begun their unavoidable descent to the bottom of the hill where the old man sits.
X-Rays of the painting indicate a large number of pentimenti within the composition, even for Titian's standards. Titian had originally painted the woman's head slightly facing the spectator, but ultimately decided to paint her in a pure profile pose to display a more consuming engagement with her lover. Her lover sits with his back arched similarly to the old man in the center of the composition, who is representative of old age, loss, and "the vanity of earthly existence" according to art historian Judith Dundas. The old man, looking very much like the penitent Jerome, is contemplating a pair of skulls, which by implication, are of former lovers. Titian had originally painted more skulls surrounding the old man. Scholars note that in other lost versions of the composition the extra skulls may have been left present, seeing as the Sassoferrato copy of the composition includes them, but they were painted over by Titian in the Sutherland copy, presumably to emphasize the dualism of the lovers or to reduce any unnecessarily macabre tones. The church in the background may serve to remind viewers of the Christian promise of salvation and eternal life.
Scottish National Gallery eternal life salvation putti pentimenti Cupid Italian Titian Sassoferrato Jerome Christian