Palma was born into a Venetian family of artists. He was the great-nephew of the painter Palma il Vecchio and the son of Antonio Negretti, a minor painter pupil of Bonifazio de' Pitati who, after Bonifazio's death, inherited his shop and clientele. In 1567 the Duke of Urbino recognized Palma's talents, supporting him for four years and sending him to Rome, where he remained until about 1573. There, Palma embraced the practice of making preparatory drawings, a custom that was traditionally associated with central Italy. He returned to Venice in the mid-1570s, where his blend of naturalism and moderate Mannerist exaggeration became popular. Palma's first major public commission arrived after a 1577 fire in the Doge's Palace: three scenes in its grand council hall. By the mid-1580s he had incorporated Tintoretto's versatile figure postures and Titian's thick surfaces, emphasis on light, and loose brushstroke. After Tintoretto's death in 1594, Palma became Venice's dominant artist perpetuating his style. |
