Titian’s ‘Venus’ travels to Madrid

Titian’s “Venus of Urbino” has left Italy for the first time to become the jewel in an exhibit at the Prado Museum in Madrid.

Described by Prado Director Miguel Zugaza as “the cultural highlight of this summer in Europe,” the exposition features 65 works by the 16th century Venetian master.

It opens Tuesday and runs to Sept. 7. It is being touted as the biggest showing of Titian’s work in over half a century and is the continuation of a recent show at London’s National Gallery that featured 44 works and attracted about 300,000 visitors.

The Prado exhibition includes paintings from museums in Venice, Rome, Naples and Florence, as well galleries in seven countries besides Italy and Spain.