The Tribute Money Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) (1488/90-1576)

Description of Titian Vechellio’s Dinarius of Caesar

Titian created his grandiose canvas especially for the Ferrara of Alfonso d’Este. The customer himself suggested the subject of this creation. At this time the struggle with the popes was underway, and the slogan chosen for it was that Caesar should be paid what was due to him.

Titian was stirred by the philosophical depth of this famous subject. As early as the 15th century, Leonardo was able to contrast the baseness and nobility of man. Titian also sensed these contradictions characteristic of his time. In his frescoes, dark and light forces collide.

In his Dinarius of Caesar this contradiction is resolved differently. We feel the great depth of the psychological plan. The theme becomes universal and acquires the loudest possible sound.

The Pharisees decided to kill Christ by all means. They were afraid to kill Him. They devised a whole plan. A man with a dinar was sent to Christ. He asked him if Caesar had to pay taxes.

This question was a trap. If he answered "yes", the whole population of Judea would be against him. If he answered "no," the Roman authorities would surely punish him. But Christ did something different. He asked the Pharisee what was on the coin he had brought. The man was surprised and replied that there was God on one side and Caesar on the other. It was after this that the phrase was uttered that everyone should get what was due to him.

The picture is very simple. The artist simply juxtaposed the two men. There is no drama in it. The figures are monumental, there are no details. All the attention is concentrated on the characters. The images are very capacious and maximally focused. Christ fills in almost the entire canvas. He stands out against the background of red and blue.

Titian conveyed the theme of a meeting of completely opposite worlds: the ideal and the real.