Biography

Jacopo Robusti (Tintoretto) was born in 1518, in Venice, Italy. He spent his entire life in Venice, the same city that he was born in. The translation of the name Tintoretto means “Little Dyer,” which refers to the job Jacopo Robusti’s father had as a cloth dyer. Not much is known about Tintoretto’s childhood training and education, but multiple accounts say that when his father saw his artistic talent, he was brought to Titian’s workshop to serve as an apprentice there before being kicked out. Both Titian and Michelangelo were huge role models to Tintoretto and he often used techniques that they had developed. For the most part though, Tintoretto was raised as an independent artist. Throughout his life, he continued to work alone and all his works were made solely by him. Tintoretto mostly focused his efforts on painting, three of his works being The Coronation of the Virgin (Paradise), Susanna and the Elders, and Crucifixion. Unlike some artists in the Renaissance, Tintoretto wouldn’t select more prestigious patrons. Instead, he was entirely willing to work for anyone and mostly filled orders from local clients. By 1560, Tintoretto was the main painter in Venice and well known for offering his works at low prices. Some of his more important patrons were San Marco, San Rocco, and the Ducal Palace in Venice. This artist is mostly linked to classicism, naturalism, and perspectivism. Nearly all of his paintings depict christian values, with mythology and history mixed in as well. The use of oil paints, lighting, and textures can be found in nearly every work of his, and it isn’t uncommon to find that the subjects recede into the background, making his art appear 3-dimensional.

"Susanna and the Elders"

The name of Tintoretto’s piece is “Susanna and the Elders.” This piece was created in 1555-1556. You can find this piece in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, located in Vienna, Austria. There is a story being told within this painting, and if you want to hear it, you have to be patient and really want to understand it. At first, you may only see the woman and man in the foreground, but the longer you look, the more details you can see. Such as a second man in the background, the little ducks in the water, or the stag showing the viewer its rear-end. I find this piece interesting because of all the secrets it contains. Perspectivism and naturalism is most closely linked to this piece. I know this because the piece contains lots of light, texture, and tones to give the impression of depth, as well as being made with oil paints. The figures and objects recede into the background, making it seem 3-dimensional. There is no real significance in this piece. You might see this piece online, on Artstor (http://library.artstor.org/library/iv2.html?parent=true), or in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien in Vienna (https://www.khm.at/en/).