“The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Titian and the Venetian Renaissance from the Uffizi” exhibition opens at Hong Kong Museum of Art

3rd November 2023 – (Hong Kong) The highly anticipated exhibition, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Titian and the Venetian Renaissance from the Uffizi,” commences today at the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA). Showcasing a remarkable collection from the renowned Uffizi Galleries in Italy, this exhibition provides visitors with an opportunity to delve into the classical works of Titian, a pivotal figure in Western art history, as well as other masters from the Venetian School during the same era. This exhibition marks the first large-scale showcase of Titian and the Venetian School of painting in Hong Kong. With all 50 exhibits being displayed for the first time in Asia, visitors will be captivated by the vivid colors and profound portrayal of human emotions that define these artworks.

Venice thrived as a significant trading and cultural centre during the Renaissance. The city’s opulent setting and unique cultural ambiance nurtured the emergence of the Venetian School of painters, renowned for their vivid use of colors and profound depiction of human emotions. Titian, one of the most esteemed artists of the time, was sought after not only in Venice but throughout Europe. His exceptional ability to capture intense human sentiments such as love, desire, power, and spirituality set him apart as a model for his contemporaries, and his influence on European art endured for centuries.

The exhibition presents 50 precious works by Titian and other Venetian artists from the same period, including Giorgione, Tintoretto, and Paolo Veronese. The collection encompasses portraits, biblical scenes, and mythological subjects, immersing the audience in the artistic world of the Venetian School of painting. Noteworthy exhibits include Titian’s “Flora,” “Venus and Cupid with a Dog and a Partridge,” “Portrait of Tommaso Mosti,” and “Madonna of Mercy.” Additionally, Giorgione’s “Moses Undergoing Trial by Fire,” Tintoretto’s “Venus, Cupid and Vulcan,” and Veronese’s “Baptism of Christ” are among the exhibition’s highlights.

As part of the exhibition, the HKMoA has invited local artists Leung Chi Wo and Chan Kwan-lok to draw inspiration from the Venetian School of painting and create their own artworks. This initiative facilitates an artistic dialogue spanning centuries, as 21st-century Hong Kong artists offer their unique perspectives on the works of 16th-century Italian Renaissance masters.

Visual artist Leung’s site-specific art installation, “Tears of Tempo,” invites viewers to explore the subtle yet delicate marks left by time. Leung has collected vintage Venetian glass lamps dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries, which were once used in various homes and locations in Italy. The flickering light reflected on the vintage Venetian glass, accompanied by an audio recording captured by the artist in Venice, creates a transcendent meeting across time and geography as waves crash against the docks of Murano.

Inspired by the fusion of the divine and the human in the Venetian School of painting, artist Chan employs traditional ink techniques to animate natural elements such as the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, trees, and rocks, infusing them with vitality. Through his ink art installation, “The Connection with Nature,” featuring 13 gongbi paintings, viewers will immerse themselves in the profound artistic emotions spanning both past and present, unearthing inherent depth and meaning.

The exhibition will be held at the Special Gallery on the second floor of the HKMoA (10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon) from 3rd November to 28th February next year. The exhibition is exclusively sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and presented by the LCSD and the MiC – Italian Ministry of Culture. It is jointly organised by the HKMoA and the Uffizi Galleries, promising an extraordinary cultural experience for art enthusiasts and the wider public alike.

Address: Hong Kong Museum Of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Picture shows Giorgione’s “Moses Undergoing Trial by Fire”.

Picture shows Paolo Veronese’s “Baptism of Christ”.

 Picture shows Titian’s “Flora” which portrays an idealised female figure.

 Picture shows Titian’s work “Madonna of Mercy”.

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