JACOPO DA

PONTE

See also:

• BASSANO
• JACOPO DA PONTE BASSANO (1510-1592)

BASSANO (1510-1592)  , Venetian painter, was born at Bassano . He was educated by his father, who was himself an artist, and then completed his studies at Venice . On the death of his father he returned to Bassano and settled there . His subjects were generally peasants and villagers, cattle and landscapes, with some portraits and historical designs . His figures are well designed, and his animals and landscapes have an agreeable air of simple nature . His compositions, though they have not much eloquence or grandeur, have abundance of force and truth; the local colours are well observed, the flesh-tints are fresh and brilliant, and his chiaroscuro and perspective are unexceptionable . He is said to have finished a great number of pictures; but his genuine works are somewhat Tare and valuable—many of those which are called originals being copies either by the sons of Bassano or by others . Bassano's style varied considerably during his lifetime . He naturally was at first a copier of his father, but his productions in this style are not of great value . He was then strongly attracted by the lightness and beautiful colouring of Titian, and finally adopted the style which is recognized as his own . Although he painted few great pictures, and preferred humble subjects, yet his altar-piece of the Nativity at Bassano is estimated highly by the best judges, and in Lanzi's opinion is the finest work of its class .