Tintoretto

Renaissance painter Tintoretto (1518-1594) was born Jacopo Robusti in Venice, the son of a cloth dyer. His nickname means "little dyer" in Italian. He developed a bold, dramatic style that combined Titian's rich color with Michelangelo's dynamic forms. Contemporaries called him "il Furioso" for the speed and energy of his brushwork. Working almost entirely in Venice, he created muscular figures, dramatic gestures, and striking use of perspective that defined late Mannerist painting.

Tintoretto's greatest achievement was the decoration of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, where he worked from 1564 until his death, creating over fifty paintings. His massive Paradise for the Doge's Palace became one of the largest canvas paintings ever made. He trained in an unidentified Venetian workshop during the 1530s and was largely self-taught, drawing inspiration from wax and clay models he arranged under dramatic lighting. His children Domenico and Marietta also became painters. Tintoretto's influence bridged the Renaissance and Baroque eras, directly inspiring El Greco during his stay in Venice. Today his works fill Venetian churches and the Gallerie dell'Accademia, with major pieces also at the Museo del Prado and National Gallery in London.