Tiziano. Dialoghi tra Sacro e Profano. La Galleria Borghese incontra l’Annunciazione della cattedrale di Treviso

From October 20 to December 8, 2026, the Galleria Borghese presents the dossier exhibition Dialoghi tra Sacro e Profano, La Galleria Borghese incontra l’Annunciazione della cattedrale di Treviso (Titian. Dialogues between the Sacred and the Profane. The Galleria Borghese meets the Annunciation from Treviso Cathedral), curated by Maria Giovanna Sarti, which compares for the first time Tiziano’s Annunciation (1520), from Treviso Cathedral, with the artist's paintings in the museum's permanent collection.

The Annunciation is displayed in the room dedicated to Tiziano Vecellio (circa 1490 – 1576), alongside the artist's works already in the collection, particularly Sacred and Profane Love. The two works, almost contemporary but profoundly different in subject matter, nevertheless share elements that highlight certain aspects of Titian's research in those same years. The comparison highlights, in particular, the relationship between the representation of the female figure and classical tradition, the role of antiquity in the construction of the image, and the importance of the commission in the work. In the Treviso Annunciation, in fact, this latter aspect also emerges through the presence of Broccardo Malchiostro – canon of the Treviso cathedral and patron of the altarpiece and the entire chapel where it will be placed – depicted kneeling in the background, and through the coat of arms of the patron, an element that finds a relevant parallel in Sacred Love and Profane Love.

The initiative is part of the celebrations for the 450th anniversary of Titian's death and continues the series of dossier exhibitions with which the Galleria Borghese explores individual themes or core themes from its collection through comparisons with works from other institutions. This format, inaugurated in 2022 with a project dedicated to Titian, entitled "Titian. Dialogues of Nature and Love", which combined the Nymph and Shepherd from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna with several Titian paintings from the Borghese collection. The Annunciation from Treviso Cathedral, temporarily transferred to Rome during the restoration of the frescoes painted by Pordenone in the Malchiostro Chapel, underwent a major conservation intervention before being loaned, which allowed the acquisition of new elements for its interpretation. These include an inscription with the date, Titian's signature, and a reference to the patron.

A program of initiatives dedicated to the figure and work of Titian accompanies this extraordinary exhibition.

The exhibition is made possible thanks to a generous loan from the Diocese of Treviso, with the scientific contribution of the Fondazione Centro Studi Tiziano e Cadore, and with the collaboration of the Magnifica Comunità di Cadore, with the support of DBA Group.