^{Attributed to Jacobo Robusti (Tintoretto), 1518/19-1594, Italian
Portrait of a Gentleman
Oil on canvas
31 ¼ x 24 ¼}

Portrait of a Gentleman was painted by Jacobo Robusti, whom we refer to as Tintoretto, the quintessence of the Venetian painters. The picture intent can be summarized as follows:

•  A male sitter constitutes the subject, seated in a three quarter, contraposto pose. The color theme, of warm earth tones, glowing rose, and ivory, constitutes the subject matter in this rhythmic pyramidal composition, consisting of multiple triangular volumes. The contrast between light and dark values, the unctuous black and the soft ivory, and the glowing triangular color volumes, create a dramatic cascade, or waterfall effect in this illustrative, unified work.

Tintoretto’s use of light is atmospheric in nature, true to the Venetian Tradition. The contrast between light and dark creates drama and mystery, as does Tintorettos’ plastic use of light. Background light is brighter behind the sitter’s right shoulder, which serves to accentuate the contraposto pose, or s curve of the sitter, acting as a projector and pushing that shoulder forward. Light highlights behind the right side of the neck and head, help to focus the attention on the face, and function as another projector.

Line is utilized in conjunction with the dark-light contrast to move the eye around the figure, and to bring a sense of movement into the static volume. In many areas, especially around what were the shoulders of the figure, a soft merging of one color into another is noted, rather than a harsh, terse line. Tintoretto utilized a variety of line: curvilinear; lines formed where two colors meet; and thick and thin line. The arch of the hairline begins the rhythmic repetition of a cascade of curves (next to the eyebrows, eyes, nose, moustache, lips) and then narrowing into what was the goatee. The band of ivory around the neck holds us momentarily and then continues the cascade, as in a waterfall, down the ivory tie towards the hands, and to the streak of ivory on what was the cuff. There are lighter charcoal highlights along what was the tie. From the hands, the eye moves to the lighter, linear, charcoal black highlights on what was the sleeve and moves up the craggy mountain sleeve to the left shoulder and back to the face. These highlights serve to create more volume and movement, with an economy of means. Tintoretto has masterfully utilized plastic line to direct and hold our attention.

Tintoretto’s palette is limited to warm, glowing, earthy colors, including unctuous black and hues of brown, grey, and green. Structural color creates the volumes; form is created via the color. One’s eye is first drawn to the red on the lips and the inner corners of the eyes and on the cheeks. The red functions as “coasters,” which moves the eye around the painting. The ivory, found on the eyes, a highlight on the nose, the collar, tie, and sleeve, serves as “pats of butter.” The ring of ivory on what was the collar, keeps us focused on the face, and then further cascades, as in a waterfall, down the ivory tie towards the hands. Some tinges of green are noted on the forehead and at the hairline, remnants of the Siennese Tradition. Tintoretto brings a glow to the skin, a sense of realism, and aliveness. The hair is a dense mat of color; the goatee has a greater tactile quality. Tintoretto draws our attention to the fur-like cuff on the left sleeve, which echoes the lush, textural goatee, by the ivory highlight on that tactile volume.

Space is three dimensional, where volumes are created by structural color. Multiple triangular volumes are arranged in a light against dark pattern. The face, body, hands, and sleeve comprise the triangles. Broad human qualities of drama, presence, stability, and strength come to us via the massive pyramidal composition, a three dimensional volume, which is set in indeterminate space. The hands are crossed, one off the canvas, further indicative of the massiveness of the figure. In what was the sitter’s right hand, the dark spaces between the fingers acts as skewers, creating more stability at the base, and creating volume and drama via the repeated light-dark contrast. The presence of the Venetian glow, or soft haze, gives an indeterminate depth to the warm greenish grey and brown background, yet functions to separate the figure from the haze.

Regarding the three aspects of art, this work is first illustrative, by its subject. Tintoretto gives us access to the other two aspects via his sensitive and masterful execution of the work. The decorative aspect is addressed by the textural quality of the goatee and cuff. The expressive quality is achieved by Tintoretto’s plastic use of color, the drama created by the light dark contrast, and by the power of the downward flowing units.

Repetition with variety is noted in the repeated contrast of light and dark values, the tactile quality of the goatee and cuff, the varied triangular volumes of the face, torso, hands, and sleeve, and the curvilinear lines in the face. Distortion is seen in the sitter’s left ear, but it is yet another repetition of curvilinear line. Overall unity is present, only weakening in the lack of detail in the sitter’s garment and hands, perhaps indicative of assistance by a family member in completing the painting.

To quote some of Dr. Barnes thoughts on portraiture, from The Art in Painting (Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, 1937):

In portrait–painting, an artist is much more rigidly limited than in such fields as landscape or dramatic figure-composition, and he is compelled to get his effects with a minimum of means; consequently, his ability to use these means is severely tested. His problems are: to make the figure seem to live, to distinguish it clearly from the background, and to unify figure and background in a design which is itself esthetically moving, apart from the physical resemblance to the sitter.

Tintoretto has achieved these standards in Portrait of a Gentleman.

Analysis by Martha Marsey