It is from the contrast between this depiction of Mary and that of Titian that The Testament of Mary grew. Her attention, and ours, is directed exclusively at her son. In this image, Mary is dressed in black and faces away from us.

Almost every inch of the picture is busy with the movement of people and animals only two figures appear stationary. The Crucifixion, at 12 metres wide, is a vast, chaotic imagining of the early stages of Christ’s crucifixion. It is in a room to one side, however, that one may find a painting of Tintoretto’s that captivated Tóibín and provided a point of contrast with the Titian which he had previously admired. In the mid-16 th century, the painter Tintoretto was commissioned to decorate the interior of the building and did so painting the Ground Floor hall in honour of the Virgin Mary, and the Upper Floor hall with a range of scenes from the Old and New Testaments. It is possible to overlook this building as the square within which it resides has as its focal point the Chiesa di San Rocco the scuola was built in 1478 as an extension of the church to aid Venetians diagnosed with the plague. Mary appears to assume a dynamic pose with her arms outstretched and one leg placed before the other, both up (towards God) and forwards (towards us).Ī short walk south from the Basilica along Calle Stretta Lipoli then west on Calle Tintoretto Cannaregio will bring you to the Scuola Grande di San Rocco.

The picture displays three scenes on three levels: at the bottom are the apostles, responding in fear and awe in the centre is Mary, surrounded and being borne aloft by cherubim and at the top is God, awaiting Mary with an angel bearing her crown. While visiting the city, an early work of Titian’s captured the attention of Colm Tóibín: the Basilica’s magnificent alterpiece, the Assumption of the Virgin, Titian’s first significant work in Venice and the painting which was to launch his career there.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is sizeable but deceptively plain for its significance, for it is one of the last major constructions to be built in the Italian Gothic style, houses a sizeable collection of Renaissance artwork, and is the final resting place of Titian.

As one walks through the San Polo sestiere of Venice heading south-west, it would be hard to miss a large brick church looming over the area.

The testament of mary script