Motivated by the progressive sociopolitical attitudes of the Republic of Venice, and led by Titian’s pioneering tendency to choose females as subjects, Venetian painters in the first half of the 16th century paved the way for artists who would follow. With a focus on Titian as the leader, and with spotlights on Jacopo Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese, Paris Bordone, and Lorenzo Lotto, this exhibition tracks the portrayal of women during these years: from sultry nudes to commanding mythological visions. With around 60 borrowed works, the show pays special attention to the role of love and desire in this evolution. —Sabina Vitale