Marietta Robusti
Marietta Robusti
1554 — 1590
république de Venise
Venetian painter of the late Renaissance (1554–1590), daughter and pupil of Tintoretto. Known as "la Tintoretta," she was celebrated for her portraits of remarkable psychological depth. Highly sought after at court, she turned down invitations from Philip II of Spain and Emperor Maximilian II in order to remain in Venice.
Key Facts
- Born in 1554 in Venice, daughter of Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto
- Nicknamed "la Tintoretta" in reference to her father
- Trained in her father's workshop, she likely contributed to several collaborative works
- Courted by Philip II of Spain and Emperor Maximilian II, she refused to leave Venice
- Died in 1590 at just 36 years old, following the birth of her first child
Works & Achievements
Sometimes attributed to Marietta, this painting reflects the psychological depth characteristic of her portraits: the old man's gaze carries a striking melancholy, and the rendering of textures is exceptional.
Several portraits of noble Venetian women are attributed to her with varying degrees of certainty. They stand out for their particular attention to jewelry, fabrics, and the inner expression of the sitter.
A self-portrait held at the Uffizi in Florence is sometimes attributed to her. If authenticated, it would be a rare testament to a woman painter asserting herself through her gaze as both subject and artist.
Marietta was particularly sought after for portraits of the Venetian aristocracy. This type of commission, ordered by prominent families, earned her a reputation as a court portraitist.
Anecdotes
Marietta Robusti grew up in her father's workshop — the famous Tintoretto — disguised as a boy so she could accompany him everywhere without raising suspicion. This clever ruse allowed her to train as a painter from a very young age, in an artistic world that was then almost exclusively male.
Her fame reached the royal courts of Europe: Philip II of Spain and Emperor Maximilian II each offered her a place at their court, with honors and riches. Marietta refused both invitations, preferring to remain in Venice by her father's side — he could not bear the thought of seeing her leave.
Her father Jacopo Tintoretto, well aware of his daughter's exceptional talent, long refused to arrange her marriage for fear of losing her. It was not until around 1580 that he agreed to find her a husband — on the express condition that the chosen man, Mario Augusta, a goldsmith, would come to live with them in Venice.
At her untimely death in 1590, Marietta was only 36 years old. Her father was devastated by the loss. The biographer Carlo Ridolfi recounts that Tintoretto never fully recovered from the disappearance of the woman he considered his most brilliant pupil and his beloved daughter.
Marietta was also a celebrated musician: she sang and played the lute with great skill, which added to her legend at the Venetian court. Her contemporaries described her as a woman of rare culture and grace, as accomplished with a paintbrush as with the strings of an instrument.
Primary Sources
Marietta, daughter of Tintoretto, was gifted with singular talent in painting, and especially in portraiture, in which she surpassed many skilled artists. She was sought by the Emperor and the King of Spain, but refused to leave her father.
La Tintoretta, so called for being the daughter of the great Tintoretto, left works of great skill, especially in capturing likenesses with true resemblance and vivid spirit.
His Majesty the King of Spain expressed the wish to have at his court the daughter of Tintoretto, highly renowned for her portraits, but the father did not consent to let her go.
In the most illustrious Venetian workshops, painters' daughters learn the secrets of the craft from childhood, and some achieve a mastery that few men can equal.
Key Places
It was in this district of Cannaregio that Marietta grew up and trained as a painter. Her father's workshop served at once as school, home, and artistic production center for the entire family.
An iconic site of Tintoretto's work, where Marietta likely collaborated on the large painted cycles. These halls still house the greatest concentration of Tintorettian works in existence.
Following the fire of 1577, Tintoretto's workshop received major commissions to redecorate the official chambers. Marietta likely took part in these large-scale collective works.
The parish church of the Sant'Angelo district, where Marietta Robusti was buried upon her death in 1590. The church also preserves works by Tintoretto commissioned for this neighborhood.
The commercial heart of Venice, home to goldsmiths, merchants, and craftsmen. Mario Augusta, Marietta's husband, practiced his trade as a goldsmith here, placing the family among the artisan elite of the Serenissima.
Gallery
Portrait of Ottavio Strada
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Marietta Robusti
Woman's portrait label QS:Len,"Portrait of a Lady (Marietta Robusti?)"
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Jacopo Tintoretto
Tintoretto - Portrait of a Lady (Marietta Robusti), ca. 1550
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Jacopo Tintoretto
Self-portrait (?)
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Marietta Robusti
Italian: Autoritratto con libro di musica Self-portrait with madrigaltitle QS:P1476,it:"Autoritratto con libro di musica "label QS:Lit,"Autoritratto con libro di musica "label QS:Les,"Autorretrato c
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Marietta Robusti
MariettaRobusti
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Unknown authorUnknown author
A Cardinal
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Marietta Robusti
German: Selbstbildnis mit Jacopo Strada (1507-1588) Self-portrait with Jacopo Strada (1507-1588)title QS:P1476,de:"Selbstbildnis mit Jacopo Strada (1507-1588) "label QS:Lde,"Selbstbildnis mit Jacopo
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Attributed to Marietta Robusti
Italian: Autoritratto con libro di musica Self-portrait with madrigaltitle QS:P1476,it:"Autoritratto con libro di musica "label QS:Lit,"Autoritratto con libro di musica "label QS:Les,"Autorretrato c
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Marietta Robusti
Catalogue of the collection of pictures by the old masters & of the early English schools & Mihály Munkácsy
Wikimedia Commons, Public domain — Siter, E. C