Philip II offering Don Fernando to Victory, Titian

Titian, following victory at lepanto, felipe ii offers prince fernando to heaven, 1572-1575, oil on canvas, 335 × 274 cm philip ii offering fernando to victory. Museo del prado, madrid. Painted by titian in his nineties, this allegorical work celebrates the victory of a catholic coalition over the ottoman turks at the battle of lepanto in 1571 and the birth shortly afterwards of a male heir to king philip ii of spain, don fernando, which were both seen as signs of god's favour. The battle is shown in the background, and a bound and defeated turk at philip's feet. An angel descends from heaven bearing a palm branch with a motto for fernando, who is held up by philip: "majora tibi" (may you achieve greater deeds). Titian died in 1576 and prince fernando in 1578. Lepanto effectively ended ottoman ambitions in the western mediterranean. (reference: robert enggass and jonathan brown, italian and spanish art, 1600–1750: sources and documents, evanston: il: northwestern university press, 1992, isbn 0810110652, p. 213. Object Type: painting. Genre: allegory. Date: between circa 1573 and circa 1575. Dimensions: height: 335 cm (10.9 ft); width: 274 cm (107.8 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Depicted People: Philip II of Spain, Ferdinand, Prince of Asturias. Collection: Museo del Prado. Philip II offering Fernando