Flora illuminates a masterful exhibition

Venice was a historic entrepot between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It grew wealthy on maritime commerce and has long been an important center of religious, civic and commercial life. According to Xie, painting is one of the city's many cultural jewels.

Since the 1400s, Venetian paintings have been recognized for their love of light and color. Tiziano Vecellio, known in English as Titian, (1488/90-1576), exact date of birth uncertain, was the most important member of the 16th century Venetian school, and was recognized as "the Sun Amid Small Stars" by his contemporaries. His paintings were widely sought after, and in 1533 he was knighted and appointed court painter to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain.

Titian's methods, especially his use of color, had a profound influence not only on painters of the Venetian school, but also on future generations of Western artists, according to the Uffizi's Anna Bisceglia, the exhibition's curator.

Bisceglia has split it into six sections, each dedicated to different periods in Titian's long career, as well as of the artists that gathered around him, reflecting his impact on the Venice region and other parts of Italy.