Tintoretto

Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto, was an Italian Renaissance painter from the Venetian school. He lived from late September or early October 1518 until 31 May 1594. Tintoretto was famous for how quickly he could paint and for his very bold and energetic style. Because of his speed and energy, people called him "il Furioso," which means "the Furious" in Italian.

His paintings are known for strong, moving figures, dramatic actions, and clever use of perspective. He painted in a style called Mannerism, which was popular at the time. Many of his contemporaries admired his work, but some also criticized it because it was so different and bold. Today, Tintoretto is remembered as one of the most exciting and energetic painters of the Renaissance.

Life

Tintoretto was born in Venice in 1518. His father was a dyer, which is why he got the nickname "Tintoretto," meaning "little dyer." He had at least one brother named Domenico. Not much is known about his childhood or training. He studied on his own and worked hard to learn art.

One of his early teachers was Titian, but Titian dismissed him after just a few days. After that, Tintoretto kept learning by himself. He made drawings and studied art carefully. He became known for working very quickly and creating bold paintings.

Tintoretto began getting jobs for his paintings when he was young. Some of his early works have sadly been lost over time. But some of his paintings still exist today, like "The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple" in Venice. He also painted scenes from the Bible, such as Adam and Eve.

In 1548, Tintoretto got a big job to paint a large decoration for a group called the Scuola di S. Marco. He worked very carefully on this painting, which showed a miracle where a slave was saved. This painting made him very famous. He then got many more jobs to paint for churches and important buildings.

Later in life, Tintoretto painted many works for the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. He worked very fast and used helpers to finish some of his bigger projects. One of his biggest works was a huge painting called "Paradise" for the Doge's Palace in Venice. It was one of the largest paintings ever made on canvas. People loved this painting when it was finished.

Pupils

Tintoretto had very few students. His daughter, Marietta, and his two sons were among them, along with Maerten de Vos from Antwerp. Marietta grew up spending time with her father and became a skilled artist. His son Domenico Tintoretto often helped his father prepare for big paintings. Although Domenico created many works, they are considered only average compared to his father's art. Still, he was a talented painter in his own right.

Influence

The Greek painter El Greco of the Spanish Renaissance may have seen Tintoretto's works during a visit to Venice. These works likely influenced El Greco's own painting style.

Personality

Tintoretto hardly ever left Venice. His early biographers described him as very intelligent and extremely ambitious. He wanted to be known as the most daring painter in the world.

He enjoyed many arts. As a young man, he played the lute and other instruments he made himself. He also designed costumes and props for theater shows. He knew a lot about machines and mechanical devices. Though he was friendly, he usually stayed in his workroom, surrounded by models he used for painting. He rarely let anyone in, even close friends, and kept his painting methods secret, sharing them only with his helpers. He liked to say clever things to everyone, from important people to others, but he rarely smiled himself.

He had many friends among writers and publishers, including Pietro Aretino, who was one of his first important supporters.

Marriages and children

Around 1560, Tintoretto married his second wife, Faustina de Vescovi, the daughter of a Venetian nobleman who was an important leader of the Scuola Grande di San Marco. Faustina and Tintoretto had many children. Three of their sons (Domenico, Marco, and Zuan Battista) and four of their daughters (Gierolima, Lucrezia, Ottavia, and Laura) grew up. Faustina helped keep their home organized and supported Tintoretto in many ways.

Before marrying Faustina, Tintoretto had a daughter named Marietta Robusti. Her mother’s name is not known, but Marietta became a skilled painter, learning from her father. She was also good at music and playing instruments. Marietta helped her father with his work, often dressing like a boy to do so. She later married a jeweller named Mario Augusta.

After finishing his last big painting called Paradise, Tintoretto did not start any more major works. In 1592, he joined a group called the Scuola dei Mercanti.

Tintoretto became very sick in 1594 with terrible stomach pain and fever. He passed away on May 31, 1594. He was buried next to his beloved daughter Marietta in the church of Madonna dell'Orto. Marietta had passed away in 1590 at the age of thirty.

Style

Tintoretto's paintings are known for their bold brushwork and long, sweeping strokes that define shapes and highlights. His work often shows people in motion, using dramatic angles and perspectives to create excitement. The story in his paintings is told through the actions and movements of the people, rather than their facial expressions.

One famous example is his painting Saint George, Saint Louis, and the Princess, where the princess is shown sitting on the dragon, holding a whip. This surprising twist turns the usual story on its head. Tintoretto also painted many portraits, with some critics thinking his portraits of older men were especially good. He even painted himself twice, showing a new, more relaxed style in his self-portraits.

Legacy

In 2013, the Victoria and Albert Museum discovered that the painting The Embarkation of St Helena in the Holy Land was created by Tintoretto, not by another artist named Andrea Schiavone.

In 2019, to celebrate the anniversary of Tintoretto’s birth, the National Gallery of Art in Washington worked with the Gallerie dell'Accademia to organize a special traveling exhibition. This was the first time such an exhibit was held in the United States. It included nearly 50 paintings and more than a dozen works on paper from throughout Tintoretto’s career. The pieces ranged from fancy portraits of Venetian nobles to scenes from religious and mythological stories.