From the beginning and throughout the Renaissance period in the 16th Century Venice, Italy was always a different type of city in comparison to Rome, or even Florence. Venice's individuality begins at its lagoon foundation along with the city's special connection to the sea. For centuries the town remained secure in its harbor fortress, and in the strength of its organizations by creating a sound system of absolute law, aiding Venice's stability and longevity. Through this stability Renaissance art within the city was able to flourish and prosper, thus allowing Tintoretto and other Venetian artists to create multiple masterpieces that are still popular today. (Pg 2. Red Book).
In Venice during the High Renaissance artistic production was more of a group effort. The family workshop or studio was the norm. Painters in Venice generally appear as members of families, working alongside one another in large workshops that frequently continued over generations. The resulting problems of this work are obvious, and frustrate many historians in attempting to distinguish the stroke of Titian from that of one of his students. In a workshop, all involved assisted in the creation of paintings that were clearly marked by a singular style established by the master. Young apprentices learned by copying and then participating in the work of the master. The student's own artistic identity must first take a back seat to that of the master, and then if it were strong enough, might then assert its own independent character. This form of training applies to workshop training and production in generally throughout the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and is hardly exclusive to just the town of Venice. (Pg. 192 Gray Book).
Jacopo Robusti, later coining the nickname "Tintoretto", grew up the son of a silk dyer in Venice, and that is most of what is known about Tintoretto's family tree. Even the date of his birth is still unknown, but many scholars believe he was born in Venice in the year 1518 since the date fits with the recorded events of his later life.
