▁expected ▁of ▁a ▁p iet à , ▁isol ating ▁its ▁protagon ists ▁from ▁each ▁other ▁to ▁und erm ine ▁more ▁abstract ▁possibilities ▁of ▁a est h etic ▁harm ony ▁or ▁more ▁resolved ▁the ological ▁meaning ." ▁ ▁The ▁Piet à ▁was ▁an ▁unusual ▁subject ▁in ▁Ven ice , ▁and ▁Tit ian ' s ▁choice ▁of ▁it ▁probably ▁rel ates ▁to ▁Michel ang elo ' s ▁Flor ent ine ▁Piet à , ▁also ▁originally ▁intended ▁to ▁decor ate ▁the ▁artist ' s ▁tomb , ▁with ▁a ▁self - port rait ▁as ▁N icode mus . ▁ ▁Through out ▁Tit ian ' s ▁career ▁he ▁had ▁reflected ▁the ▁par ag one , ▁or ▁argument ▁over ▁superior ity ▁in ▁art , ▁with ▁works ▁as ser ting ▁the ▁superior ity ▁of ▁painting ▁over ▁sculpt ure , ▁within ▁painting ▁of ▁Ven ice ▁over ▁Florence , ▁and ▁" it ▁is ▁not ▁difficult ▁to ▁read ▁the ▁rad ically ▁p ict orial ▁quality ▁of ▁his ▁Virgin ▁and ▁Child ▁as ▁a ▁last ▁attempt ▁to ▁defeat ▁his ▁great ▁rival ." ▁Er win ▁Pan of sky ▁pre fers ▁to ▁see ▁it ▁as ▁" A ▁lif el ong ▁rival ry , ▁comp ounded ▁of ▁mut ual ▁respect ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁opposition , ▁ended ▁in ▁a ▁t ribute ▁paid ▁by ▁the ▁surv iv or ▁to ▁his ▁def unct ▁ant agon ist ▁— ▁and ▁doing ▁honor ▁to ▁both ". ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁also ▁elements ▁looking ▁back ▁to ▁Tit ian ' s ▁master ▁Giovanni ▁Bell ini , ▁for ▁example ▁the ▁m osa ic ▁semi - d ome ,