Tintoretto

the long version

"Jacopo Tintoretto (1519-1594) is ranked along with Titian and Veronese as one of the most important Venetian painters of the 16th century and was well-known among his contemporaries for his rapid, inspired painting technique. Characteristic features of his late work, of which the Gonzaga Cycle is a part, are deep diagonal perspectives, complex, interconnected movements of figures and intense light effects." "In 1578 he was commissioned by Guglielmo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, to execute a series of four large-scale paintings, now known as the Margrave Series." "A rigorous examination of the paintings with the aid of x-ray technology, which has provided new insights into the workings methods of Tintoretto and his workshop associates, while assisting scholars in tracing the development of pictorial themes and the changes made during the work process, is a central focus of this publication." "In readable, soundly researched essays, the contributing authors - art historians and conservators - improve and expand our understanding of Tintoretto and the Gonzaga Cycle, adding new insights from several important perspectives."--Jacket.