(Pg. 190, gray book) Most of what is known of Jacopo's life and disposition was recorded by Carlo Ridolfi and published 50 years after his death. Like Vasari was of Michelangelo, Ridolfi was a wholehearted admirer of Tintoretto, and puts together what is believed to be a fairly accurate depiction of Tintoretto's methods, character, and artistic inventions.(Pg 12, Gold book) .
At an early age, Jacopo used his father's dyes to create primitive yet promising artistic works on the walls of his and his neighbor's houses. Upon seeing this, his father sent young Tintoretto to a very costly art school run by the famous Venetian painter Titian. The story goes that one day Titian noticed a few extraordinarily excellent drawings on the ground, upon learning that Tintoretto was the author of them, asked Jacopo to leave the studio for good after only a year of instruction. Many scholars are skeptical that Titian at 55 would exhibit such strange jealousy of a young inexperienced artist, and believe that just felt that his and Tintoretto's different outlooks could not be present at the same studio. What is remarkable about Jacopo is that this young artist was left without a master in a time when the skill of painting could hardly be learned without one. This loss also had social implications since those contacts that would have been made from studying at Titian's studio would have greatly helped once Tintoretto became an independent painter. (Pg. 194 Gold book).
After this falling out, he took a subordinate position carving or painting benches that would be placed in newly built palaces and houses. Through all of this, Tintoretto's best instructor ended up being himself. Realizing the genius Titian was even after being kicked out of his school, Jacopo made every effort to study and copy as many works as he could get access to in the Venetian churches. He also received condensed versions of Michelangelo's statues along with superb chalk drawings of other antiques.
