Tintoretto, Jacopo Robusta. Birth of John the Baptist Hermitage ~ part 12

Description of Jacopo Tintoretto’s The Birth of John the Baptist

Tintoretto (real name Jacopo Robusti) was born in Venice, in the family of a dyer. In fact, his nickname means "little dyer." All his life the artist remained faithful to the environment of craftsmen, from which he came, living a fairly modest life. The boy initially studied with Titian, and so quickly began to make progress, that the great Titian did not want to train him further - he was afraid of raising a rival. Nevertheless, Tintoretto very long imitated his first teacher, especially in terms of color.

The main features of Tintoretto’s style are bold drawing, a peculiar distribution of light and shadow, warm colors, emphasized dramatic composition. Sometimes he rushed too much in the process - and then the paintings did not turn out very well.

The painting "The Birth of John the Baptist" refers to the first period of the artist. The canvas is dedicated to the first day of the life of the baby John. According to the Bible, God made the priest Zechariah mute after he refused to believe in the appearance of a son. Zacharias’ doubts were understandable - both he and his wife were very old at the time of the baby’s birth. After the priest inscribed the name "John" given to the child, the gift of speech returned to him.

The master reproduced the bustle that begins in the home after the birth of the child in detail and meticulously. The attention of most of the characters is absorbed by the newborn child himself - Mary holding him in her arms. The saint is distinguished from other women only by a thin halo above her head and the traditional colors of her clothes - scarlet and deep blue. A nurse bends over the child, offering the baby her breast. The mother herself lies in the back of the room on the bed; other women are bustling about her. The white-haired cat is creeping toward the chicken and is about to grab it. Expressive and vivid painting of the artist is the best way to convey the moment. Today, the canvas "Birth of John the Baptist" is in the collection of the State Hermitage Museum.