Exhibition
Timeless Tintoretto
Exhibition
Timeless Tintoretto
Exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André
The Timeless Tintoretto
The Timeless Tintoretto
Exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André
11 September 2026 to 24 January 2027
The exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André is particularly worthwhile for anyone interested in the Italian Renaissance, Venetian painting and the development of European art. Its particular appeal lies in presenting Tintoretto not only as a master of dramatic religious paintings, but also as an artist keen to experiment, whose use of light, movement and perspective was far ahead of his time.
The two main things I would look out for during a visit: his dramatic use of light and the sometimes unusual perspectives!
Timeless Tintoretto
Tickets
the details
at a glance
Exhibition:
The Timeless Tintoretto
Exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André
11 September 2026 to 24 January 2027
Opening hours:
Monday – Thursday, 10.00 – 18.00 h
Friday, 10.00 – 22.00 h
Saturday + Sunday, 10.00 – 19.00 h
Prices:
EUR 19 for adults
EUR 18 for seniors over 65
EUR 16 for students and individuals aged 19–25
EUR 10 for children aged 7–18
Free admission for children up to 6 years old
-> The same prices are also available through us and our partner agency!
ICOM Card:
free admission for ICOM members
Who was
Jacopo Tintoretto?
Jacopo Robusti (1518/1519 – 1594) – known as Tintoretto – was a Venetian painter of the Mannerist period.
His name ‘Il Tintoretto’ (‘the little dyer’) derives from his father’s trade: his father was a silk dyer. Not much is known about his family, his date of birth or his early life, only a few anecdotes here and there – for example, that he was also known as ‘little peppercorn’ (granelo de pevere) because of his small stature and his fiery, mocking nature.
The first truly official document dates from 1537 and states that he opened a workshop in Venice as an independent master in 1539.
The “Last Supper” from 1547 (Church of San Marcuola) is considered one of his earliest masterpieces. What makes it special is the dramatic agitation of the disciples after Jesus has revealed to them that one of them will betray him.
Of course, Tintoretto also caused a scandal: in 1548, he did so with the work “Saint Mark Saves a Slave from Martyrdom”. But why? A slave who had converted to Christianity manages, with the help of Saint Mark, to withstand torture. Nothing particularly dramatic in that, but the saint was painted ‘standing’ on his head – and that was, of course, no fitting position for the patron saint of the Venetians.
After that, however, his still-fledgling career gained momentum: he was commissioned to paint portraits, and major official commissions from the Venetian state followed. These included, amongst other things, the decoration of the Doge’s Palace! In 1559, following in Titian’s footsteps, he even became the official portraitist of the ‘Serenissima’ (the Venetian Republic).
Mannerism – the art-historical term for his style and his era – gave Tintoretto the opportunity to experiment: he was free to develop and showcase his very own style, the ‘maniera’. And that is precisely what he did.
The exhibition traces Tintoretto’s artistic career from his early works to his later masterpieces and demonstrates why he is regarded as one of the most significant painters of the Italian Renaissance. It highlights just how innovative and groundbreaking his art was for subsequent generations of artists.
Particularly impressive are his dramatic depictions of religious and biblical scenes, to which he lends a special emotional depth through dynamic movements, strong contrasts of light and shadow, and unusual perspectives.
His monumental paintings and extensive pictorial cycles, such as those in the Doge’s Palace and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco in Venice, also bear witness to his extraordinary ability to artistically transform entire spaces. With his expressive use of light, his daring compositions and his lively brushwork, Tintoretto developed an unmistakable painting style that was ahead of its time in many respects.
About the exhibition
Timeless Tintoretto
Among the works on display is, amongst others, ‘The Miracle of Saint Augustine’ (c. 1547–1549). From the Museo Civico Palazzo Chiericati, Vicenza.
The work depicts a miraculous healing of the sick and the paralysed by Saint Augustine. In the background, the saint hovers on a cloud, clad in a luminous robe – which is why light is undoubtedly the central motif of the work. Saint Augustine, recognisable by his mitre and crozier as symbols of his episcopal office, suddenly appears, descending from heaven, before a crowd of people with walking difficulties and the sick, who are situated in the foreground. These physically frail sick people and beggars seem to have been inspired by Michelangelo. They appear dazzled by the light and hope for their miraculous healing.
Tintoretto was around thirty years old at the time, and he succeeded in creating an extraordinary work through an almost monochrome painting style using only a few glazed layers of colour. It is regarded as ‘one of the finest examples of the dramatic understanding of light in Venetian painting, in which Tintoretto explores new effects and colour nuances’ (Villa).
The biblical narrative known as ‘Susanna and the Elders’ (1555/56), or ‘Susanna at Her Bath’, is also well worth seeing. The story is a familiar one – there is nothing particularly innovative about it at first glance. Two old men watch the naked Susanna whilst she is bathing and try to blackmail her into giving herself to them (obviously). She refuses, and the men accuse her of adultery – Susanna is to be sentenced to death. Fortunately, however, the prophet Daniel intervenes and reveals the truth: the old men are subsequently executed (and rightly so).
Tintoretto places Susanna very much in the spotlight – in such a way that, thanks to the chiaroscuro technique, her centre of the composition particularly catches the eye, thereby turning us into voyeurs. Furthermore, there are countless symbols to discover here. Take the animals alone: the magpie stands for slander, the ducks for fidelity, and the stag for desire, whilst at the same time serving as a Christian symbol within the composition. The fact that the two men are hiding to the left and right of a white rose hedge is no coincidence either: these symbolise innocence and purity… Whilst the red robe in the foreground stands for lust and danger!
There are several versions by Tintoretto – this one is on loan from the KHM. However, the Louvre and the Prado also hold a version.
And finally, ‘Danaë’ (1570) has also travelled here from the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lyon.
This myth of Zeus and Danaë is no stranger to us either. Fearing he might be killed by his grandson, King Acrisius of Argos had his only daughter – Danaë – who was renowned for her beauty, locked away in a chamber (pfff). But of course, this was no obstacle for Zeus. Taking the form of a golden shower, he was able to enter the chamber and impregnate her (did she even want that?). Naturally, she gave birth to a son: Perseus. And the oracle’s prophecy came true: Perseus accidentally killed his grandfather during a discus-throwing competition.
In the painting, Tintoretto depicts Danaë instructing her maid to gather the golden drops from her lap.
Conclusion
Anyone with a keen interest in Tintoretto and Mannerism should not miss this exhibition.
Once again, the Musée Jacquemart-André has demonstrated a keen eye for selecting its exhibitions. We’ve already seen this in 2025 with Artemisia Gentileschi, in 2024/25 with Masterpieces from the Galleria Borghese, and in 2021 with Botticelli: Artist and Designer.
We haven’t visited the current exhibition ourselves yet, but should the opportunity arise in the near future, we’ll be there in a flash! That’s for sure!
Yours, Céline
Text rights: © Céline Mülich, 2026
Image rights: Press images from the Musée Jacquemart-André
See individual image captions.
other
tips for Paris
Versailles: Let them eat cake!
find out more
All exhibitions in Paris
find out more
Monet: Painting Time
find out more