Tintoretto

Battista Robusti and his brother fought in the Siege of Padua in 1509, earning the surname 'Robusti' due to their vigor during the battle.

Jacopo Robusti, also known as Tintoretto, was born on September 29, 1518. He was a prominent artist from the Venetian School of painting, known for his dramatic style and immense output.

In 1540, Tintoretto gained notice after painting a large series of octagonal ceiling panels with mythological scenes in a private Venetian palace. These works showcased his unique style and skill in depicting mythological themes.

In 1541, Tintoretto worked on a series of frescoes for Palazzo Zen in Venice, collaborating with Andrea Meldolla (Schiavone). Although only fragments of these frescoes survive, they demonstrated Tintoretto's innovative technique of fast brushstrokes due to the rapid drying of the paint.

One of Tintoretto's early pictures, located in the church of the Carmine in Venice. It depicts the biblical scene of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

Tintoretto created a series of biblical stories and mythological episodes for poet Pietro Aretino's house in Venice in 1545, using narrative fluency and fanciful inspiration.

In 1546, Tintoretto painted three significant works for the church of the Madonna dell'Orto - the Worship of the Golden Calf, the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, and the Last Judgment. He undertook the commission for two of the paintings to gain recognition, settling near the church in a Gothic edifice overlooking the lagoon of Murano.

In 1547, Tintoretto returned to an earlier form of composition with his Last Supper of San Marcuola, portraying ordinary everyday reality with rough and popular types.

In 1548, Tintoretto was commissioned to paint four pictures for the Scuola di S. Marco, including the highly acclaimed Miracle of the Slave. This painting depicts the legend of a Christian slave saved by St. Mark's miraculous intervention, and it is considered one of the main treasures of the Venetian Academy.

In 1550, Tintoretto married Faustina de Vescovi, a Venetian nobleman's daughter and a key figure in the Scuola de San Marcos. Faustina was known for her strong personality and efficient management of their household, bearing several children with Tintoretto.

Tintoretto's painting 'Saint George, Saint Louis, and the Princess' subverts the traditional portrayal of the subject. The princess is depicted sitting on the dragon, holding a whip, while Saint George appears helpless. This composition showcases Tintoretto's unique style and wit.

Tintoretto's daughter Marietta, born in 1554, showed great talent as a painter. She gained attention from notable figures such as Emperor Maximilian II, Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria, and Philip II of Spain.

In 1555, the Italian Renaissance artist Tintoretto marries Faustina Episcopi.

Around 1556, Tintoretto painted The Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple, which was highly praised for its execution and quality.

In 1560, Tintoretto started working on the walls and ceilings of the Scuola di S. Rocco, showcasing his immense talent and dedication. The building, initially constructed by the Lombardi family, lacked proper lighting, making it a challenging space for extensive artistic decoration.

In 1563, Tintoretto began participating in the decoration of the church of the Madonna dell’Orto and the private chapel of the Contarini family. His works for the church show the evolution of his artistic style.

In May 1564, Tintoretto was commissioned to decorate the Sala dell’Albergo for the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, a project related to the cult of St. Roch, the protector against plagues.

In 1565, Tintoretto resumed work at the Scuola di San Rocco and painted the magnificent Crucifixion, receiving a payment of 250 ducats for it.

The decoration of the chamber in Sala dell’Albergo, including scenes of Christ’s Passion remarkable for their thematic innovations, was completed in 1567.

Giorgio Vasari, in his 1568 update of 'The Lives of the Most Excellent Italian Architects, Painters, and Sculptors,' hailed Tintoretto as 'the most extraordinary brain that the art of painting has produced,' based on the original ideas Tintoretto presented for the Scuola Grande di San Rocco.

The painting, created around 1570 CE, showcases Tintoretto's distinctive style with a background landscape that appears infinite, figures bursting with energy, and a unique play of light. The composition creates a sense of movement and tension, typical of the artist's works.

Around 1575, Tintoretto resumed the decoration of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco with renewed zeal, finishing the huge central panel of the upper hall with Lifting Up of the Bronze Serpent.

In 1576, Tintoretto presented the Plague of Serpents painting for the ceiling of the great hall at Scuola di San Rocco free of charge.

In November 1577, Tintoretto offered to paint the works at the Scuola di San Rocco at a rate of 100 ducats per annum, with three pictures due each year. The proposal was accepted and fulfilled, resulting in fifty-two memorable paintings.

In 1578, Tintoretto painted four extraordinary masterpieces including Bacchus, the Three Graces, Mercury, Minerva, Mars, Venus, and the Forge of Vulcan for fifty ducats each.

In 1580, Jacopo Tintoretto made a rare visit outside Venice to Mantua. This visit is one of the few recorded instances of him leaving the city where he lived and worked for most of his life.

In 1581, Tintoretto completed all the ceiling paintings and 10 teleri on the walls at Scuola Grande di San Rocco, demonstrating his great love for the saint and the school.

In 1588, Tintoretto completed his crowning production, the vast painting called Paradise, which is considered to be the largest painting ever done upon canvas, measuring 74 ft. by 30 ft.

Marietta Robusti, daughter of Tintoretto and a talented painter, passed away in 1590 at the age of thirty. She was known for her skills in portrait painting, music, and as an instrumentalist.

Tintoretto's 'Il Paradiso' is one of the largest paintings ever, measuring 70 x 30 feet. It depicts Christ and other Biblical figures at the Gates of Heaven. Despite its scale, each figure is realistically rendered. The painting was completed shortly before Tintoretto's death in 1594.

Tintoretto, the renowned Italian painter, passed away on May 31, 1594, in Venice.

Carlo Ridolfi wrote a biography of Tintoretto in 1648, where he mentioned that the young artist studied under Titian and combined dramatic postures from Michelangelo with rich colors from Titian. Ridolfi also highlighted the difference in technique between Titian's use of colorito and Tintoretto's emphasis on disegno.

In 1866, the grave of Tintoretto and his wife's family was opened, revealing the remains of nine family members. The grave was later relocated to a new site.

In 1906, Giorgio Vasari's Le vite de’ più eccellenti pittori scultori e architettori was published. This work delves into the lives of prominent painters, sculptors, and architects, offering valuable information on artists like Tintoretto and their contributions to the art world.

Giorgio Vasari's work, Lives of the Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, was published in 1996. This publication provides insights into the lives and works of various artists, including Tintoretto, shedding light on their practices and influences.

Melania G. Mazzucco presented new biographical evidence regarding Tintoretto and his children in the book 'Jacomo Tintoretto e i suoi figli: Storia di una famiglia veneziana' published in 2009.

The Victoria and Albert Museum revealed that the painting previously attributed to Andrea Schiavone was actually painted by Tintoretto. This reattribution was part of a series depicting the legend of St Helena and the Holy Cross.

The book 'Lives of Tintoretto' was written by Vasari, Giorgio & Aretino, Pietro & Calmo, Andrea & Franco, Veronica & Ridolfi, Carlo and published in 2019 by J. Paul Getty Museum.

An exhibition showcasing the works of Tintoretto, known as the Artist of Renaissance Venice, was held at the National Gallery of Art from March 4 to July 7, 2019.