LEANDRO BASSANO (Bassano del Grappa, 1557 - Venice, 1622) St. Martin Oil on canvas, 131X105 cm The canvas derives from the painting Jacopo Da Ponte made in 1578 for the church of Santa Caterina in Bassano, and the theme was interpreted several times by the artist and his sons Francesco and Leandro. In this case, let us recall the version conserved in the oratory dedicated to St. Martin in the castle of Cison di Valmarino, which the most recent studies consider to be the work of Jacopo's workshop, identifying the hand of the master only in the final intervention: 'aimed at specifying with pathetic accentuations the physiognomies of at least the donor and the page' (Fossaluzza, 1998, p. 673). This work was later the subject of a drawing by Leandro kept in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (Disegni veneti del Museo di Leningrado, 1964, no. 34). The third of Jacopo's sons, Leandro trained in his father's workshop and Ridolfi mentions him in Venice in 1577, where he resided almost continuously until his death, being enrolled in the Fraglia dei pittori veneziani from 1588. Leandro's career was studded with successes, so much so that in 1596 he executed the portrait of Doge Marino Grimani that earned him the title of Knight of St. Mark's. Zanetti in 1771 described him as a 'worthy imitator and disciple of the Father, following however rather the first than the second manner. His colouring was not as ardent nor was his brush as bold as Francesco's; but he chose the happiest and noblest images of his father's school, painting with a beautiful impasto, without omitting the due vigour and mastery necessary to the character of a good teacher'. It must be said, however, that in his works one observes a more drawn manner and filamentous brushstrokes quite different, as Arslan noted, 'from the frank and robust striking' of his father and from 'the flickering one of Francesco'. One can therefore perceive a different stylistic direction from that of the family tradition, leaving out touch painting, preferring the 'macchia' and a scratched manner. We thank Giorgio Fossaluzza for the attribution. Reference bibliography: Exhibition of recently restored Bassano paintings, exhibition catalogue edited by L. Magagnato, Venice 1952, p. 46, cat. 28 Jacopo Bassano, exhibition catalogue edited by P. Zampetti, Venice 1957, pp. 198-199, cat. 82 R. Pallucchini, Bassano, Bologna 1982, cat. 37 L. Alberton Vinco Da Sesso, in Jacopo Bassano, exhibition catalogue edited by B. L. Brown and P. Marini, Bologna 1992, pp. 176-178, cat. 67 M. Guderzo and W. R. Rearick, Jacopo dal Ponte at the Bassano Museum, Vicenza 2001, pp. 28-30, fig. 26