Finding of the Body of Saint Mark Tintoretto (Jacopo Robusti) (1518-1594)

The most prominent master of the second half of the 16th century was Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto (1518-1594). A product of the Venetian school, he also grew disillusioned with its lessons in classical harmony. However, his dissatisfaction stemmed from more than just a desire to shock. He seemed to sense that Titians unparalleled style, captivating the eye with its beauty, was powerless to convey the thrilling drama of biblical stories and the lives of saints. In any case, in his religious paintings, Tintoretto developed his own system of techniques that involved the viewer in the unfolding events, awakening a strong emotional response within them...

Immediately, we are struck by the turmoil depicted in the painting. Unlike Raphaels compositions with their measured alternation of planes and figures, here the space opens into depth through rapid contractions of arches. On the left is the figure of a tall man in a shimmering halo, who has raised his hand as if intending to stop what is happening on the other side of the hall. Turning our gaze in the direction he indicates, we notice a group of people: two men are lowering a corpse from an open tomb, and a third, wearing a turban, receives it. In the distance is a man in noble attire, holding a candle, reading an inscription on another tomb. It seems that a catacomb robbery is taking place. One deceased lies on a carpet, with his heels facing the viewer; next to him kneels an elderly man of noble appearance in a rich mantle. In the foreground on the right is another group of people, apparently shocked by some surprise; all of them are looking at the person standing opposite them with great agitation. From the halo and book held nearby, we deduce that this is the Evangelist Mark, patron saint of Venice. What events are depicted in the painting? Once, the remains of the Evangelist Mark were transported from Alexandria, a city of unbelieving Muslims, to Venice, where they were placed in St. Marks Basilica in a specially made and now famous reliquary. The body of Mark, Bishop of Alexandria, had previously been buried in Alexandrian catacombs. When the Venetians, with pious zeal, entered them, they did not know which tomb contained the holy relics. But as soon as they opened it, Saint Mark himself appeared, pointing to his remains. This moment is what Tintoretto depicts. The saint commands that the search be stopped. The body found lies at his feet, and bathed in light, it is already performing miracles: from a possessed person, a stream of exhaled air releases an evil spirit. The elderly man kneeling is a donor, a member of a religious brotherhood who commissioned the painting. Such a canvas could not fail to impress its contemporaries with its eccentricity. Sharp contrasts of light and shadow, rapid convergence of perspective lines, excited gestures of the characters – all this initially caused shock. However, over time, it became clear that Tintoretto could not have created an impression of a mystical miracle unfolding before our eyes using conventional means. For this purpose, he even abandoned the greatest wealth of the Venetian school: warm colors, saturated with the hues of fertile nature.