Jacopo Bassano

(pseudonym of J. da Ponte). Born circa 1517–18, in Bassano, Veneto; died there Feb. 13, 1592. The most important representative of a family of Italian painters of the Renaissance, which belonged to the Venetian school.

The influences of Mannerism were combined with democratic tendencies in Bassano’s creative work. In his religious canvases, he introduced scenes from the daily life of peasants, depictions of animals, and still lifes. By filling his compositions with dynamic rhythms and with the heightened effects of evening and night illumination, Bassano imparted a dramatic coloration to his images. His works include Christ at Emmaus (Parish Church, Cittadella), Adoration of the Shepherds (1568) and Baptism of St. Lucilla (both in the Municipal Museum, Bassano), Rest on the Flight into Egypt (Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Milan), and Annunciation to the Shepherds (National Gallery of Art, Washington).