For the first time in four centuries Titian’s most admired series of paintings have been brought together at the National Gallery in a sumptuous display of colour, beauty and above all, emotion.  The six works commissioned in 1551 by Prince Philip of Spain, the future King Philip II are based on stories from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, tales of passion, deceit, murder and guilt.  Titian displays his skill as a great narrator as the stories come to life with dramatic compositions set against a backdrop of mystical landscapes.  The scenes are enhanced with rich drapery, beautiful figures and exquisite detail.  Titian named the series ‘poesie’ as he regarded them as poetry in paint. In his lecture, Dr Richard Stemp will study the six paintings in-depth and tell the stories behind the works while discussing Titian’s use of colour and technique.