Crossword Genius

He painted it, twice going round article (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

titian

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'he painted' is the definition.
(16th-century painter)

'it twice going round article' is the wordplay.
'twice' becomes 'it' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'going round' says the letters should be written backwards.
'article' becomes 'an' (indefinite article).
'it'+'it'='itit'
'itit' reversed gives 'titi'.
'titi'+'an'='TITIAN'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for titian that I've seen before include "Colour named after artist" , "It. painter, famous for redheads" , "Painter, noted for works with bright auburn hair" , "Italian painter of the Venetian school, patronised by Philip II of Spain" , "The painter Tiziano Vecellio" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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