Tintoretto (15-18 – 1594) whose real name was Jacopo Robusti, was an Italian painter during the Venetian school of the Renaissance. He is known for his dramatic and unconventional style, which often featured elements of comedy and tragedy.
Tintoretto was born in Venice in 1518, the son of a dyer. His father’s occupation may have influenced his choice of subjects: many of his early works depict scenes from the Bible or classical mythology in which dyes play an important role. He began his career as an assistant to Titian, another great Venetian painter.
In 1539, he married Faustina Memmo, a member of a noble Venetian family. The couple had eight children, four of whom died in infancy.
Tintoretto’s first major work, the Last Supper (1544-1545), was painted for the refectory of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, a church in Venice. The painting is remarkable for its large size (it measures nearly 10 meters by 6 meters) and its dramatic composition.
In 1550, Tintoretto completed the Paradise (1550-1553), another large painting for the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. The painting depicts the moment when Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden.
Tintoretto’s most famous work is the Last Judgment (1566-1567), a massive painting that covers the entire end wall of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, a church in Venice. The painting depicts the final judgment of humankind, with Christ seated on a throne in the center, surrounded by angels and saints.
Tintoretto died in Venice in 1594
