The Element of Water, c. 1576-1577
Oil on canvasexpand_more
Bequest of Miss Tessie Jones, by exchange, the Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund, and the John R. Van Derlip Fundexpand_more 94.45
On View in Gallery 340expand_more
This nocturne, or night scene, shows a fish market being set up on a riverbank at dawn. The vendors display a variety of seafood, while other activities involving water, such as laundering, ferrying, and drinking, take place nearby. Above, Neptune, god of the sea, drives his chariot across the sky.
The dramatically lit landscape with many figures and meticulously rendered still-life details represents a new type of pastoral scene devised by Jacopo Bassano and his son Francesco. The large Bassano family workshop produced several series of such landscapes--the Four Seasons, the Four Elements, the Months, and well-known biblical stories. This painting, in which scholars believe Francesco had the primary role, is from a suite of the Four Elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water).
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Details
- Title
- The Element of Water
- Artist Life
- Italian (Venice), 1549–1592
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 94.45
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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