SaucySam

For the painting by Peter Paul Rubens, see The Birth of the Milky Way.

The Origin of the Milky Way
Artist	Tintoretto
Year	c. 1575–1580
Medium	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	148 cm × 165 cm (58 in × 65 in)
Location	National Gallery, London

The Origin of the Milky Way (also known as The Nursing of Hercules during the 18th century) is a painting by the Italian late Renaissance master Jacopo Tintoretto, in the National Gallery, London, formerly in the Orleans Collection. The painting is considered one of Tintoretto’s most successful paintings in the Venetian style. It is an oil painting on canvas, and dates from ca.1575–1580. Around the time of 1727, the bottom third of the painting was cut off from the original painting, the reason is unknown. The painting holds many symbolic references to the gods and goddesses depicted and the story itself. The painting is further known for its vivid colors that are layered and textured and keep an eye on the complex details of the pieces.

The myth depicted in the painting is of a Roman mythological story about how the Milky Way was formed. Every part of the painting is meant to further explain the myth by putting imagery that relates to each god/goddess in the myth, i.e. Juno and Jupiter. Other elements further tell the story, such as the putti and the objects they are holding.

The painting has been through many things throughout the years. The painting has had some damage ranging from some small creases to missing a whole section. The painting may have still switched patrons during its development.

History

Patron

The back of Tommaso Rangone's medal that has similar imagery to The Origin of the Milky Way painting.

The London National Gallery restored the painting in 1972 and even did an X-ray on it. The X-ray showed that there was an original painting that was carefully painted over. This revelation led art historians to theorize that the patron of this painting may have changed during its creation. It is thought that the painting was originally commissioned by Tommaso Rangone, a physician and academic in Venice. Rangone commissioned many well-known works from Tintoretto and likely commissioned The Origin of the Milky Way as well. As an astrologist and a physician, Rangone had an interest in the night sky and flowers and was often depicted with the two. With this in mind, The Origin of the Milky Way has imagery that fits with Rangone’s interests. Rangone’s whole career revolved around longevity which would align with the myth of The Origin of the Milky Way where Jupiter tried to make Hercules immortal by drinking Juno’s breast milk. A similar image that is seen in the painting is further engraved on a personal medal that Rangone had cast in 1562. However, this theory that Rangone was the original patron and then another patron picked it up after he died in 1577, doesn't have enough evidence to prove it.

The patron we do know who commissioned this painting was the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II of Prague. Like Rangone, Rudolf II too had an interest in astronomy, alchemy and immortality. Moreover, the erotic imagery of the recline, nude Juno also aligned with Rudolf II tastes.

Damage

The painting suffered some damage over the years, the most glaring is the missing bottom third of the painting, but there are canvas edges that were frayed. The painting also had two linings ironed on that flattened the paint on the surface. The edges further had layered adhesive that resulted in the painting not being stretched evenly. The edges where also frayed from being overstretched on a small canvas for many years. Furthermore, two horizonal creases where found running form the bottom of the piece to Juno's ankle, and the other 13 cm from the top to the top edge. These horizontal creases came from transporting the painting to Rudolf II's castle.

Description

Subject Matter

A sketch by the imperial court painter Jakob Hoefnagel that shows what the original painting looked like.

The characters illustrated are Jupiter, god of the sky and king of the gods, who is depicted wearing red. Juno, the goddess of marriage and queen of the gods, is the woman in the bed. And Hercules, the infant Jupiter is holding towards Juno's breast, the illegitimate son of Jupiter and the mortal woman Alcmene. The story in the painting is of the Roman Mythological story of how the Milky Way was formed. According to the legend, Jupiter wanted to make his son, Hercules, immortal by having him drink the breast milk of his sleeping goddess wife Juno. After feeling a pinch, she awakens to a strange child nursing from her breast, seeing this she quickly jerks away resulting in breast milk being spurted upward forming the Milky Way. The breast milk being spurted downward creates white lilies, but this is seen in the lost portion of the painting. The Milky Way is a hazy cloud seen during the night sky that is depicted behind the eagle. Beside Juno are peacocks, her symbolic animal that is often seen with her. Under Jupiter is an eagle, often associated with Jupiter as his symbolic animal and his messenger, clutching his lightning bolt in its talons.

The particular version of the story is from the Byzantine textbook called Geoponica, in the book the myth is called the Nursing of Hercules.This textbook was translated and started to circulated in Venice in 1542 It was likely this book that Tintoretto read and depicted in this painting because the original painting had the milk from Juno spraying upwards to create the Milky Way and the milk that fell from her breasts created lily flowers on Earth. In the mission bottom third of the painting lay a woman who may have been the embodiment of Earth and the mother of Jupiter and Juno. 

Composition

Tintoretto took great care in making the human form look like it is in motion. He pays attention to the way the muscles tenses and the skin flexes to get the illusion of movement.The subtle tones on the skin and the transparent layering of colors creates the appearance that the flesh is turning. Even in rest he paid attention to how the muscles relax and tense in certain areas when in rest. That attention to detail is very apparent in this painting as well, especially in the way Juno is posed. The pose of Juno is almost Mannerist, but not quite. The turn of her head down, how she leans forward, and how it seems she is moving in different directions is both elegant but still a bit bizarre. The way that Juno is posed is just right that it makes sense that the milk is spurting both up, to create the Milky way, and down, to create the lilies on Earth.

Symbolism

The four Putti, also known as cupids, are each holding a symbolic item that symbolizes the good and bad parts of love. The putti holding the chains by Juno's arm represents marriage. The putti holding the torch coming from the bottom left of the painting represents the passion of love. The putti holding the bow and arrow by Juno's peacocks represents love, and the putti holding the net by Jupiter represents deception. The addition of the putti makes the theme of love and deceit in this mythological scene more prevalent.

See also

• The Origin of the Milky Way (Rubens)

External links

• High definition image on Google art
• Tintoretto's The Origin of the Milky Way Archived 2014-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, Smarthistory, video (5:19)
• The Origin of the Milky Way (podcast with transcript: Miranda Hinkley & Karly Allen Archived 2018-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, National Gallery London February 2009)
• Mandowsky, Erna. “The Origin of the Milky Way in the National Gallery.” The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, vol. 72, no. 419, 1938, pp. 88–93. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/867195. Accessed 9 Sept. 2024.
• “Jacopo Tintoretto, ‘the Origin of the Milky Way’, about 1575.” Jacopo Tintoretto | The Origin of the Milky Way | NG1313 | National Gallery, London, 2016, www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jacopo-tintoretto-the-origin-of-the-milky-way.
• Plesters, Joyce. “Tintoretto’s Paintings in the National Gallery.” National Gallery Technical Bulletin, vol. 3, 1979, pp. 3–24. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/42615978. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
• Hagen RM, Hagen R. What Great Paintings Say: 100 Masterpieces in Detail. Taschen; 2020.
• Nichols T. Tintoretto : Tradition and Identity. Reaktion; 1999.
• Valcanover F, Tintoretto, Pignatti T. Tintoretto. H.N. Abrams; 1985.
• Palazzo ducale host institution, National Gallery of Art host institution, Tintoretto, et al. Tintoretto : Artist of Renaissance Venice. (Echols R, Ilchman F, eds.). Yale University Press; 2018.
• Tintoretto, Museo del Prado., Echols R, et al. Tintoretto. English ed. (Falomir Faus M, ed.). Museo Nacional del Prado; 2007.