Titian is a unique painter in the canon of Western art: according to Vasari, he was the most popular painter of his day and excelled more than any other at capturing the hearts of all the great nobles and leading figures not only in Venice but across all Europe. Titian's Equestrian Portrait of Charles V is a perfect example, not only of Titian's extraordinary talent but also of his ability to befriend his subjects and portray them as they were. In his portrait of Charles, Titian depicts the Holy Roman Emperor poised like the legendary St. George, spear in hand, ready to do battle with the enemy. Charles sits upon his steed and faces an unseen threat, symbolized by the darkening sky behind him. The magnificence of the sky in the portrait prompted people to proclaim it one of the best ever, as it reflected the inner turmoil of the "soul" of Europe at the time (Hackenbroch 323). The steed paws at the ground, eager to get to the battle, and Charles sits tall and straight in his saddle, as though about to charge. Charles at this time was the Catholic monarch, whose kingdom spanned from Spain to Germany. He was at war with both the Ottoman Turks and the Protestant rebels within his own lands. He and Titian shared the same faith and thus both understood the importance and significance of the religious wars conducted (Freeman 128). Titian had already painted several portraits of the Emperor and had gotten to know him personally and on a friendly basis. In this painting,...

The purpose of the portrait was to memorialize Charles' victory in the Battle of Muhlburg in the April of the previous year. What is remarkable about the painting is that Titian paints the emperor's age into the portrait yet does depict the frailty of age as an encumbrance but rather as an inspiring feature: the old king is resolute and determined, even though no longer in the prime of life. The painting's realism is seen in the fact that the armor worn by Charles is a representation of the actual armor he wore in battle. The armor and horses of the king were kept at the Royal Armory in Madrid.
While the painting predates the Baroque Era, it does pave the way for it: the dramatic use of light and dark as well as the realism and naturalism of the subject are typical styles of the Baroque Era. By the end of the 1550s, Titian's style had changed in terms of color choices: he preferred bold colors and stroke techniques that would later be used by Impressionist painters. Many Baroque Era painters actually served as a foundation for later Impressionists, such as Velazquez -- and Titian may count as one. Since the Baroque Era grew out of and formed as a response to the Protestant Revolution ripping through Europe, it…