Tintoretto
St George, (1543-1544)
Oil on canvas
122 x 92 cm
Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Saint George (circa 275/281 – 23 April 303 AD) was
a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a Christian martyr.
His parents were Christians of Greek background; his father Gerontius was a
Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother Polychronia was from Lydda,
Syria Palaestina. Saint George became an officer in the Roman army in the Guard
of Diocletian, who ordered his death for failing to recant his Christian faith.
In the fully developed Western version of the Saint George
Legend, a dragon, or crocodile, makes its nest at the spring that provides
water for the city of "Silene" (perhaps modern Cyrene in Libya or the
city of Lydda in Palistine, depending on the source). Consequently, the
citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its nest for a time, to collect
water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon at first a sheep, and if no
sheep can be found, then a maiden is the best substitute for one. The victim is
chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happens to be the princess. The monarch
begs for her life to be spared, but to no avail. She is offered to the dragon,
but then Saint George appears on his travels. He faces the dragon, protects
himself with the sign of the Cross, slays the dragon, and rescues the princess.
The citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to
Christianity. More
on Saint George
Domenico Tintoretto (Domenico
Robusti), about 1560 - 1635. Like
many family-trained artists, Domenico Tintoretto began his career by helping
his renowned father, Jacopo Tintoretto, in his Venice workshop. In 1576, when
Domenico was seventeen years old, he was admitted to the Venetian painters'
guild. One of his first assignments outside the workshop included assisting his
father with a commission to execute paintings in the Doge's Palace. Domenico
then received independent commissions at the palace, creating heroic scenes
such as the Second Conquest of Constantinople. In addition to history painting,
Domenico painted portraits and mythological and religious subjects. Throughout
his mature years, he collaborated occasionally with his father; however,
Domenico was sought after for his own talent. In 1592 he was summoned to
Ferrara to paint a portrait of Margaret of Austria. Three years later he
traveled to Mantua, commissioned by a member of the Gonzaga family to execute a
portrait. Though the influence of his father, and at times even his father's
assistants, is evident in many of Domenico's paintings, his drawings are
entirely original. More
on Domenico Tintoretto
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