Leandro Bassano

Leandro Bassano (June 10, 1557 – April 15, 1622), also called Leandro dal Ponte, was an Italian artist from Bassano del Grappa, the younger brother of Francesco Bassano the Younger and third son of Jacopo Bassano, who took their name from their town of Bassano del Grappa. Leandro studied with his brother in their father's workshop, but took over the studio when Francesco opened a workshop in Venice. Leandro followed in the tradition of his father’s religious works, but also became well known as a portrait painter.

By around 1575, Leandro had become an important assistant to his father, with his brother relocated to Venice. It was his father’s will that Leandro carry on the studio in Bassano del Grappa. Though after his father died, his brother Francesco committed suicide and Leandro took up the studio in Venice. There he became a successful portraitist, working close to the influential style of the Venetian master, Tintoretto.

Leandro developed his style, taking in Venetian influence, furthering his fine drawing style. His approach to painting differed from his father’s in the use of "fine brushwork, with cool, light colours, smoothly applied in well-defined areas, unlike his father, who painted with dense and robust brushstrokes."

His success grew substantially in Venice, even landing him a knighthood from the Doge of Venice Marino Grimani in 1595 about, and he spent the rest of his life in the city. With this, Leandro began to sign his name with the honorary, “Eques.” Much of his work is not clearly dated and his works have sometimes been confused with other artists. This is the case with his, Portrait of an Old Man in the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, which was once thought to be a work of Tintoretto.

In addition to his many portraits and religious pieces, Leandro painted secular, genre-like works, such as his, Concert, now in the Uffizi Gallery and his, Kitchen Scene, hung in the Indiana University Art Museum.

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