Artwork
A Procurator of Saint Mark's
A Procurator of Saint Mark's is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Jacopo Tintoretto. It dates from 1580 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The canvas medium allowed for the large-scale composition while maintaining the textural depth characteristic of Tintoretto's late style.
Jacopo Tintoretto executed A Procurator of Saint Mark's around 1580 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 138.7 cm in height and 101.3 cm in width, presenting a portrait format typical of the artist's Venetian output. As a painting classified within the portrait genre, the piece relies on the fluid handling of oil pigments to define the sitter's features and attire against a dark background.
The canvas medium allowed for the large-scale composition while maintaining the textural depth characteristic of Tintoretto's late style.
History & Provenance
Painted by Jacopo Tintoretto in 1580, the canvas entered the collection of the earls of Wemyss in Scotland, held at Gosford House in East Lothian. By 1886 it belonged to Francis Richard Charteris, 10th earl of Wemyss, and it subsequently passed by inheritance to his son Hugo Richard Charteris, 11th earl of Wemyss. Its first documented public appearance was at the winter exhibition of the Royal Academy in London in 1886.
By 1929 the portrait had entered the trade, appearing with Wildenstein & Co. in New York. In June 1949 it was sold to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, also in New York, which in 1952 donated the work to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection.
Overview
Tintoretto's A Procurator of Saint Mark's, an oil on canvas painted around 1580, is a portrait of a high-ranking official from the Venetian Republic. This work exemplifies the artist's distinctive Mannerist style, characterized by its dynamic execution and bold brushwork. The painting reflects the civic and religious themes often explored by the Venetian master throughout his career.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork depicts a Procurator, a senior administrator within the Venetian Republic. The sitter is shown seated, adorned in a luxurious red robe with a white fur lining, featuring decorative patterns on the shoulders and tassels. This elaborate attire serves to emphasize the subject's elevated social standing and the prestige associated with his significant civic role in late 16th-century Venice.
Context
As a Procurator of Saint Mark's, the subject held a position of considerable influence within the Venetian Republic's political and social hierarchy. Tintoretto frequently engaged with contemporary civic figures in his portraiture, alongside his numerous religious commissions. This painting therefore offers insight into the prominent individuals and the societal structure of Venice during a period of significant artistic innovation and political power.
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Artist & collection
Artist
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.
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