The Origin of the Milky Way

Jacopo Tintoretto · 1575

The story

The Origin of the Milky Way is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Jacopo Tintoretto, in the National Gallery, London, formerly in the Orleans Collection. The painting is considered one of Tintoretto’s most successful paintings in the Venetian style. It is an oil painting on canvas, and dates from ca. 1575–1580.

It is unknown why the bottom third of the painting was cut off, but we do know that it was cut around 1727. The painting holds many symbolic references to the gods and goddesses depicted and the story itself. The painting is further known for its vivid colors that are layered and textured and for keep eyes on the complex details of the pieces.

The myth depicted in the painting is of a Roman mythological story about how the Milky Way was formed. Every part of the painting is meant to further explain the myth by putting imagery that relates to each god/goddess in the myth, i.e. Juno and Jupiter. Other elements further tell the story, such as the putti and the objects they are holding. The painting is an example of the Mannerist style that gained popularity in the late Renaissance. The dynamic, elegant poses and the repeating curves seen throughout the painting are characteristic of the Mannerist style.

Throughout the years, the painting has sustained a variety of damages, some due to age and others due to poor care. Although the painting has been documented to be in the possession of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, there have been some examinations of the painting that lead art historians to think that the painting had a patron before Rudolf II.

Artist

Jacopo Tintoretto

Date

1575

Collection

National Gallery, London, United Kingdom

Movement

Mannerism, Venetian school

Medium

oil paint, canvas

Size

149.4 × 168 cm

Story adapted from the Wikipedia article and its contributors, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.

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