Tintoretto
Restless Renaissance Artist
Tintoretto
In 1518 an artist never to be forgotten was born as Jacopo Robusti in Venice Italy, where he would reside for his entire life. His life was quite calm, caring only of his work and his family. However, his disorderly work does not show this tranquility at all. His aggressive personality lead to masterpieces that displayed his restless hand through strange, chaotic movement, bizarre lighting, and confusing viewpoints. All of these unorthodox techniques created eye-catching art like nothing of the time, attracting many local patrons. This includes Scoula di San Rocco, Scoula di San Marco, the main state room, and local schools. The selling of his work, including Last Supper, Crucifixion, Paradise, and The Archangel Michael Fights Satan, to whomever he pleased demonstrates capitalism, a great aspect of the Renaissance. Another aspect Tintoretto possessed is Skepticism. He questioned all ways of the perception of art and questioned even his own master, Titian. This lead him to develop art completely from his own thinking, clearly making Tintoretto a Renaissance genius.
The Archangel Michael Fights Satan
This oil painting, produced in 1592, demonstrates the many new techniques created by Tintoretto. This scene is one of complete disorder and chaos, completely different from the calm , orderly painting at the time. The figures are moving in an almost contorted fashion, created this chaos. The figures in this scene have an iridescent glow, a very strange way of lighting used by Tintoretto. Also, this scene is being looked down upon, not being observed through a head on viewpoint. This painting, showing Michael the Archangel drove Satan from Heaven into Hell, can still be observed through this viewpoint in Dresden, Germany, at the Gemaeldegalerie Alte Meister. I would love to see this piece there because this portrayal of the biblical reading is so much more intriguing than other depictions because of the large amount of action seen. I also love how Tintoretto clearly differentiates Heaven and Hell with the use of colors and his unprecedented lighting effect. Because of this glowing beauty seen in this painting, I believe it demonstrates humanism. Although, religious figures are the focal point, their bodies possess perfection in their form and their movement. This beautiful piece can be found here:http://library.artstor.org/library/secure/ViewImages?id=%2FThWdC8hIywtPygxFTx5RngoXHsvfFg%3D&userId=hDRFeDsh&zoomparams=
Bibliography
"Tintoretto." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography in Context. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
"Tintoretto. International Dictionary of Art and Artists. Gale""1990. Biography in Context. Web. 17 Nov. 2013."
"Tintoretto." Almanac of Famous People. Gale, 2011. Biography in Context. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
NICHOLS, TOM. "Tintoretto." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Ed. Jonathan Dewald. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004.Biography in Context. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.