Who painted Saint Helen Testing the True Cross?

Saint Helen Testing the True Cross was painted by Jacopo Tintoretto in 1545.

Where can I see Saint Helen Testing the True Cross?

Saint Helen Testing the True Cross is held by Art Institute of Chicago.

What movement is Saint Helen Testing the True Cross?

Saint Helen Testing the True Cross is associated with Mannerism.

Artwork

Saint Helen Testing the True Cross

Jacopo Tintoretto , 1545

Saint Helen Testing the True Cross is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Jacopo Tintoretto. It dates from 1545 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. This oil painting, created by Tintoretto in 1545, depicts a dramatic scene from Christian legend.

About this work

Technique & Style

The physical dimensions and material composition place the artwork within the context of mid-16th-century Venetian painting practices.

Created in 1545, Saint Helen Testing the True Cross is an oil painting executed on a canvas support. The work measures 21.5 cm in height and 48.9 cm in width, reflecting a horizontal format typical of certain religious narratives of the period. As an oil painting by Jacopo Tintoretto, the piece utilizes the medium's capacity for rich color and texture, characteristic of the artist's early religious genre works. The physical dimensions and material composition place the artwork within the context of mid-16th-century Venetian painting practices.

History & Provenance

Jacopo Tintoretto created the oil painting Saint Helen Testing the True Cross in 1545. The work, executed on canvas, measures 21.5 cm in height and 48.9 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The painting depicts the religious narrative of Helena Augusta and the True Cross.

Overview

This oil painting, created by Tintoretto in 1545, depicts a dramatic scene from Christian legend. It is now held by the Art Institute of Chicago.

Subject & Meaning

The scene shows Saint Helena, mother of Constantine, testing a relic believed to be the True Cross by observing its effect on a lifeless man. The figures surrounding her react with various gestures, adding to the tension.

Context

The work is a product of the Mannerist period, a time when artists began to expand on High Renaissance techniques by incorporating more theatrical effects and dramatic gestures.

Saint Helen Testing the True Cross, Tintoretto

Artist & collection

Artist

Jacopo Tintoretto

Jacopo Robusti (late September or early October 1518 – 31 May 1594), best known as Tintoretto ( TIN-tə-RET-oh; Italian:; Venetian: ), was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Venetian school.