Art and the Double Meaning of Reflection in Titian’s Allegory of Marriage

A small yet significant detail in Titian’s Allegory of Marriage may add new dimension to what still remains an ambiguous painting. It relates to the crystal orb, which Titian rendered as a mirror, where one can discern a blurred reflection of a person. The orb loses its transparent nature, the image concealing what should have been seen behind it. This detail, complemented by additional reflections of two female figures on both sides of the warrior’s armour, are at the core of this chapter. They accent an interconnectivity alluding to a sophisticated visual expression of the intellectual roles of the painter and his viewer. With his rendition of this orb, Titian was emphasizing the dual meaning of the word ‘reflection’ (riflessione).