The Friulan, after many wanderings and much labour in North Italy, had
settled in Venice in 1535, and there acquired an immense reputation by
the grandeur and consummate ease with which he had carried out great
mural decorations, such as the façade of Martin d'Anna's house on the
Grand Canal, comprising in its scheme of decoration a Curtius on
horse-back and a flying Mercury which according to Vasari became the
talk of the town.[25] Here, at any rate, was a field in which even
Titian himself, seeing that he had only at long intervals practised in
fresco painting, could not hope to rival Pordenone. The Friulan, indeed,
in this his special branch, stood entirely alone among the painters of
North Italy.

The Council of Ten in June 1537 issued a decree recording that Titian
had since 1516 been in possession of his _senseria_, or broker's patent,
and its accompanying salary, on condition that he should paint "the
canvas of the land fight on the side of the Hall of the Great Council
looking out on the Grand Canal," but that he had drawn his salary
without performing his promise. He was therefore called upon to refund
all that he had received for the time during which he had done no work.
This sharp reminder operated as it was intended to do. We see from
Aretino's correspondence that in November 1537 Titian was busily engaged
on the great canvas for the Doges' Palace. This tardy recognition of an
old obligation did not prevent the Council from issuing an order in
November 1538 directing Pordenone to paint a picture for the Sala del
Gran Consiglio, to occupy the space next to that reserved for Titian's
long-delayed battle-piece.

That this can never have been executed is clear, since Pordenone, on
receipt of an urgent summons from Ercole II., Duke of Ferrara, departed