Domenico Robusti, called Domenico Tintoretto
Venice, 1560-1635
Portrait of a Gentlemen, ca. 1590
Recalling the dynamic composition, dramatic light, and expressiveness of the Venetian tradition perfected by Jacopo Tintoretto, this portrait by Jacopo’s eldest son and principal collaborator, Giovanni Domenico, is extraordinarily assured. The painting’s material accomplishments, such as the variation in light, from the glistening corner of the sitter’s eye to the faint glow about his head, is matched by the work’s psychology, giving a momentary and penetrating glimpse of the sitter’s nature. This picture stands on the threshold of the Baroque.