Christ Washing the Feet of His Disciples

It was long supposed that this work was executed for the church of San Marcuola in Venice, but the copy still in the church better accords with another version of the subject now in Newcastle. However, there is no doubt about Tintoretto’s autograph authorship of the Prado painting, which was almost certainly painted at about the same time.

Typical of Tintoretto throughout his carrer is the dramatic setting for the scene, the long diagonal vistas serving to transform the humble event into an apocalyptic vision. The colouring, however, is bright and sumptuous, the modeling firm, and the space and light clear and still - a sign of the fairly early date of the work in the artist’s career.

Tintoretto copied the animal in the foreground from a painting by Jacopo Bassano.