The Last Supper (detail) by Jacopo Tintoretto at Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Venice
Unlike other great painters of 16th-century Venice such as Titian and Paolo Veronese, Jacopo Tintoretto was a native Venetian, born and bred in the lagoon city. Perhaps accordingly, a considerable number of his works remain there to this day in the churches, confraternity buildings, and palaces for which they were commissioned.
Known for his bold, dynamic style and swift working methods, Tintoretto was considered by Giorgio Vasari to be "the most extraordinary brain that painting has ever produced." His striking paintings of religious narratives are characterized by dramatic chiaroscuro, expressive brushwork, and astute compositional choices.
Art historian Sophia D’Addio of Columbia University explores a selection of these sacred works, located in such beautiful settings as the Church of the Madonna dell'Orto, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, and San Giorgio Maggiore. Special attention is given to Tintoretto’s keen awareness of the ways in which viewers would have encountered his paintings, for he often designed them with the spectator’s point of view and angle of approach in mind.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*
General Information
*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.
