Photo by Sacred Destinations, courtesy Flickr

Oxford's Ashmolean Museum has acquired a painting, "The Triumph of Love," that has been verified as a Titian.

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The painting had been left to the nation to settle the unidentified owner’s tax bill, but for years dirty varnish and over-painting had obscured its true quality and led to speculation that it might be the work of a pupil or follower of Titian. But after research into its provenance and a thorough cleanup at the National Gallery, The Triumph of Love has been confirmed as a work by the Italian Renaissance master. Ashmolean curator Catherine Whistler traced the painting's origins back to a Venetian patrician and collector who was a friend and patron of the artist. The painting was donated for tax purposes on condition that it went to the Ashmolean, where it should be a highlight once the museum reopens in November after its £61 million ($99 million) redevelopment. Museum Director Christopher Brown calls the work, which depicts Cupid riding a tamed lion, a "fascinating and rare painting."

Read more at the Guardian.