Tintoretto’s monumental Crucifixion restored

The monumental Crucifixion by Renaissance master Jacopo Tintoretto has returned to its former splendor after two years of restoration. The meticulous intervention rediscovered the brilliance of the colors and the rich contrasts of light and dark, and now that the scaffolding has been removed, the masterpiece is again in full public view.

A non-invasive diagnostic campaign was conducted using UV LED fluorescence and Infrared reflectography (IR) to assess the painting’s condition and study Jacopo Tintoretto’s technique. These results guided the conservators in their work to address several issues, beginning with non-original surface residues that distorted the colors and depth of the painting. The cleaning phase removed thick, yellowed varnish, glue residues, and compacted dust, as well as altered retouchings from previous treatments. During the pictorial integration phase, small losses were filled with Bologna gesso and rabbit-skin glue, then reintegrated with conservation colors, glazes, and varnishes. A protective spray varnish was applied as a final conservation step. Each phase of conservation, which lasted from March 2023 to March 2025, was meticulously documented with high-resolution photography and video.

The massive canvas, more than 16 feet high and 40 feet wide, was commissioned by the Scuola Grande di San Rocco confraternity Venice in 1565, the year that Tintoretto became a member. It was the focal point of the Sala dell’Albergo, the hall where the organization’s governing officials met, covering the entire wall above the large counter where the Scuola’s governors sat.

Tintoretto’s vision for this monumental approach to the theme was incredibly complex and dynamic, centering the crucified Christ in the middle of an dense, vivid and varied crowd captured in active movement. A halo of light emanates from the crucifix, representing the salvation this act promises humanity.

The conservation not only restored Tintoretto’s original color and contrasts, but it also restored his reputation, slandered by Giorgio Vasari.

Maria Agnese Chiari Moretto Wiel, Art Historian and Member of the Chancellery of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco: “Over the course of these two years, I have had the privilege of following the work almost daily, sharing the challenges, choices, and difficulties faced by the restorers in restoring full legibility to a work that represents one of the masterpieces, if not the absolute pinnacle, of Jacopo Tintoretto. The restoration not only allowed the painting to regain a proper balance of chromatic values and great perspectival depth, but it also revealed new, essential elements for understanding the master’s working method. The discovery of a complex system of grids, drawn in charcoal and extending across the entire surface of the painting to transfer figures from the preparatory sketches to the canvas, today disproves the claim by Giorgio Vasari, who stated that Tintoretto ‘worked haphazardly and without drawing [disegno], as if he was trying to prove that art was just a jest.’”

As if it’s even remotely possible to paint a canvas of this size and intricacy without a plan. Tintoretto had preparatory drawings for individual figures and laid outlines of them on the canvas itself.

This video shows beautiful details of the restoration and the Crucifixion.

* This article was originally published here