Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 161 works by Palma il Giovane in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Palma il Giovane left, the most famous is The Crucifixion of St Peter (1614), in the collection of the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia, Venice. Close behind it come Pietà with Angels (1620) and Paolo Veronese (1600). Our catalog holds 161 works by Palma il Giovane; the gallery has kept the 100 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
Michelangelo Palma il Giovane’s “The Crucifixion of St Peter,” painted in 1614, is not merely a depiction of a pivotal moment in Christian history; it's a profound exploration of suffering, faith, and the raw emotion of martyrdom. This monumental canvas, measuring 170 x 135 cm, transports the viewer directly into the heart of the scene – a chaotic yet deeply moving tableau unfolding outdoors beneath a dramatic, stormy sky. Palma,…
A heavy, limp body rests across the lap of the Virgin Mary. The pale skin of Christ contrasts against the deep red of her tunic and the dark blue of her mantle. Shadows swallow the background, pushing the figures forward into a sharp, theatrical light. Two large angels flank the upper scene, their faces etched with grief. Below, small cherubs support the weight of the limbs, one near the arm…
A dark, shadow-filled void recedes behind the subject, stripping away the distractions of the physical world. This absence of background detail pushes the figure forward, creating a sudden sense of depth. The man emerges from this gloom, his presence anchored by a crisp white collar that catches the light. His gaze is direct, meeting the viewer with an unwavering eye contact that bridges the gap between the painted space and…
The air thickens with sudden, celestial violence as the scene erupts in a chaotic swirl of motion. Saul, once a persecutor of the faithful, is caught in a moment of profound physical and spiritual disorientation. He is thrown from his horse, a heavy, muscular form tumbling toward the earth, while the animal recoils in a tangle of limbs and frantic energy. Above this earthly commotion, a brilliant, piercing light breaks…
The composition reflects the transition from the High Renaissance to the burgeoning drama of the Baroque. The style is characterized by intense emotional weight and dynamic movement typical of the late Renaissance or Mannerist period. The texture appears smooth yet painterly, capturing the anatomical detail of Christ's torso and the heavy fabric of the mourning figures. Through the use of light as a narrative tool, the composition guides the eye…
The oil on canvas work titled Venus and Mars presents a mythological encounter between the personification of love and the god of war. Painted by Palma il Giovane, the scene captures these lovers in a moment of intimate proximity. The figures of Venus and Mars respond to one another through anticipatory gestures, their bodies arranged in a way that suggests a shared, private space. A small Cupid occupies the lower…
The oil painting The prophet Nathan admonishes King David presents an emotionally charged biblical scene set within a shallow, stage-like space. The composition centers on two primary figures engaged in an intense interaction. On the left, King David is depicted sitting in a large, ornate golden throne. He wears a red velvet robe trimmed with thick white ermine fur and a prominent gold crown, his posture heavy and dejected with…
The room falls into a heavy, quiet stillness as we gaze upon an elderly man, his face etched with the deep lines of a life spent in focused labor. He sits in a three-quarter view, caught in a moment of profound introspection. A sharp, directional light enters from the upper left, carving his features out of the surrounding darkness. This intense chiaroscuro pulls his weathered forehead and greyish-white beard into…
In this 1612 oil painting, we find ourselves drawn into the immediate, heavy atmosphere of the Lamentation. The composition centers on the pale, lifeless body of Christ, which lies horizontally across the lower half of the frame. There is a stillness here that feels almost physical, a quietude that contrasts with the intense emotional weight of the scene. To the left, a figure draped in deep red robes holds a…
In this etching print, we find ourselves witnessing a scene of profound, sudden movement. The composition centers on the aftermath of a decisive act: Judith is captured in the precise, heavy moment of placing the severed head of Holofernes onto a cloth. Another female figure assists, her hands steadying the fabric to catch the weight of the deed. There is a certain anatomical tension here, particularly in the foreshortened body…
Portrait of Niccolo da Ponte (1491-1585), Doge of Venice1580 · Kunsthistorisches Museum
12
The Pope allows Otto to go to his father to negotiate peace1582 · Doge's Palace
13
Pietá1611 · Museo del Prado
14
David with Goliath's Head1590 · Museo del Prado
15
Salomé with the Head of John the Baptist1599 · Kunsthistorisches Museum
16
Moses Brings the Tablets of the Law1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
17
St Sebastian1590 · Hermitage Museum
18
Dead Christ Supported by an Angel1612 · Kunsthistorisches Museum
19
Adoration of the Shepherds1575 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
20
Flagellation of Christ1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
21
Christ calling Zacchaeus1575 · Fitzwilliam Museum
22
Elijah and the Angel1575 · Fitzwilliam Museum
23
Portrait of a Gentleman1590 · Art Institute of Chicago
24
Fighting soldiers1569
25
soldiers on horseback1569
26
Soldiers on horseback1569
27
supraporte: fighting soldiers1569
28
fighting soldiers1569
29
Battle - scene in landscape with town1569
30
soldiers on horseback1569
31
soldiers on horseback1569
32
six citizens after war scene1569
33
Gentlemen on horse - back1569
34
Victory of Francesco Bembo over Filippo Maria Visconti1578 · Doge's Palace
35
The Descent of Manna1575
36
Christ Deposed In The Sepulchre1575
37
Crucifix Between Our Lady And Saint John1575
38
The Paschal Lamb1575
39
St Lawrence Giving the Wealth to the Poor1575
40
Lamentation of Christ1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
41
Lamentation of Christ1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
42
Thetis on the Sea1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
43
Lamentation of Christ1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
44
Annunciation of Mary1585 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
45
Christ and the Samaritan Woman1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
46
Saint Sebastian1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
47
Ecce homo1586 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
48
The Expulsion of the Vices of the Church1582 · Royal Collection
49
Venus and Cupid1590 · Royal Collection
50
Prometheus Chained to the Caucasus1589 · Royal Collection
51
Massacre of the Inhabitants of Hippo1593 · Musée Fabre
52
Scene from the History of Joseph1587 · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
53
Scene from the History of Joseph1587 · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
54
Judas Cyriacus1593
55
Sant'elena Ritrova La Vera Croce1593
56
L'imperatore Eraclio Riporta La Croce Al Calvario1593
57
Pius II1593
58
Judith and Holofernes1600
59
The Virgin and Child, Saint Luke and a Donor1602 · Royal Collection
60
The Penitent Magdalene1600 · Royal Collection
61
Return of the Prodigal Son1595 · Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia
62
The Virgin and Child with Saints and Angels1620 · National Gallery of Ireland
63
Lamentation of Christ1620 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
64
Self Portrait1614
65
Studies of an Arm, and of the Heads of an Old Man and Young Woman1628
66
Seated Female Holding a Book, Two Heads of Bearded Men, Seated Male Nude, and Four Sketches for Christ Judging (recto); Studies for Cain Slaying Abel (verso)1628
67
Apostles at the Virgin's Tomb1582 · Hermitage Museum
68
Cain and Abel1603 · Kunsthistorisches Museum
69
Annunciation1600 · Madonna dell'Orto
70
Martirio Di San Giovanni Battista Tra San Lanfranco Beccari E San Liberio1593
71
Washing of the Feet1591 · San Giovanni in Bragora
72
Lamentation1620 · National Gallery of Art
73
Joseph and Potiphar's WifeStatens Museum For Kunst
74
Allegory of the Victory over the League of Cambrai (detail)1590 · Doge's Palace
75
The Dead Christ Supported by An Angel with Two Putti Each Supporting a Cero1575
76
The Paschal Lamb1575
77
Eucharist Worshipped By The Four Evangelists1575
78
Elia Cibato From angel1575
79
The Parish Priest Da Ponte in front of the Virgin, Saint Mark, Saint Sylvester and Saint James1575
80
Red Sea Passage1575
81
The FlagellationMuseo del Prado
82
Papa Cleto1593
83
Elia nutrito dall'angelo1593
84
Lanfranco Beccari1593
85
David riceve dal sacerdote Achimelec i pani offerti nel santuario1593
86
Saint Helena1593
87
Il Serpente Di Bronzo1593
88
Alexander III confirms the Crucifixes and gives them the rule1593
89
Pope San Cleto Founds the Order of the Crucifer - St. Cyril's Bishop of Jerusalem Reaffirms the Order1593
90
David and Achimelech1590 · Il Redentore
91
The Pool1592 · Collezione Molinari Pradelli
92
The Martyrdom of St Lawrence1581 · San Giacomo dall'Orio
93
Sketch for An Entablature1628
94
The Arrest of Christ, Christ and the Canaanite Woman, Seated Male Figures, and Head of a Child1628
95
Studies of Horsemen and Study of a Figure for a Deposition1628
96
Seated Female Holding a Book, Two Heads of Bearded Men, Seated Male Nude, and Four Sketches for Christ Judging (recto); Studies for Cain Slaying Abel (verso)1628
97
Sheet of Studies with St. Jerome, Seated at Right and Resting His Right Forearm on a Book, at Left An Ecclesiastical Figure Wearing a Cope and Miter, and at Bottom Two Putti1628
98
A Venetian SenatorMuseo del Prado
99
Amusements of the Prodigal Son1595 · Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia
100
Christ as TeacherBavarian State Painting Collections
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Palma il Giovane | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bavarian State Painting Collections |
Munich | 14 | Moses Brings the Tablets of the Law, Adoration of the Shepherds, Flagellation of Christ |
 Kunsthistorisches Museum |
Vienna | 8 | Pietà with Angels, The prophet Nathan admonishes King David, Portrait of a Sculptor |
 Museo del Prado |
Madrid | 5 | The Conversion of Saint Paul, Pietá, David with Goliath's Head |
 Royal Collection |
London | 5 | The Expulsion of the Vices of the Church, Venus and Cupid, Prometheus Chained to the Caucasus |
 Doge's Palace |
Venice | 4 | The Pope allows Otto to go to his father to negotiate peace, Victory of Francesco Bembo over Filippo Maria Visconti, Allegory of the Victory over the League of Cambrai (detail) |
 Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia |
Venice | 3 | The Crucifixion of St Peter, Return of the Prodigal Son, Amusements of the Prodigal Son |
 Hermitage Museum |
Saint Petersburg | 2 | St Sebastian, Apostles at the Virgin's Tomb |
 Fitzwilliam Museum |
2 | Christ calling Zacchaeus, Elijah and the Angel |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In "Fighting soldiers" by Palma il Giovane, the air thickens with the immediate chaos of a historical or mythological battle. Painted about 1569, the scene pulls the viewer into a frantic melee where the boundaries between life and death blur. Soldiers clash in a desperate struggle, their bodies locked in the violent rhythm of combat. Every movement feels urgent, as if the clash of steel is a sound that still…
The work before us is titled Adoration of the Shepherds, a significant creation by the Venetian painter Palma il Giovane. Executed around 1575, this piece emerged during a transformative period in the Venetian School, as the artist navigated the transition from the High Renaissance into the more dramatic sensibilities of the early Baroque. The painting captures a profound moment of spiritual reverence through its specific handling of light and form.
A heavy silence hangs within the frame as Niccolò da Ponte meets the viewer's gaze. The elderly Doge sits in a three-quarter length pose, his presence commanding the space with a solemn, contemplative energy. Light pours from the upper left, striking the stark white of his ermine-lined mantle and illuminating the weathered textures of his face. This dramatic chiaroscuro carves his features out of the deep, shadowy background, creating a…
The air thickens with sudden, celestial violence as the scene erupts in a chaotic swirl of motion. Saul, once a persecutor of the faithful, is caught in a moment of profound physical and spiritual disorientation. He is thrown from his horse, a heavy, muscular form tumbling toward the earth, while the animal recoils in a tangle of limbs and frantic energy. Above this earthly commotion, a brilliant, piercing light breaks…
A dark, shadow-filled void recedes behind the subject, stripping away the distractions of the physical world. This absence of background detail pushes the figure forward, creating a sudden sense of depth. The man emerges from this gloom, his presence anchored by a crisp white collar that catches the light. His gaze is direct, meeting the viewer with an unwavering eye contact that bridges the gap between the painted space and…
Michelangelo Palma il Giovane’s “The Crucifixion of St Peter,” painted in 1614, is not merely a depiction of a pivotal moment in Christian history; it's a profound exploration of suffering, faith, and the raw emotion of martyrdom. This monumental canvas, measuring 170 x 135 cm, transports the viewer directly into the heart of the scene – a chaotic yet deeply moving tableau unfolding outdoors beneath a dramatic, stormy sky. Palma,…
A heavy, limp body rests across the lap of the Virgin Mary. The pale skin of Christ contrasts against the deep red of her tunic and the dark blue of her mantle. Shadows swallow the background, pushing the figures forward into a sharp, theatrical light. Two large angels flank the upper scene, their faces etched with grief. Below, small cherubs support the weight of the limbs, one near the arm…
The Crucifixion of St Peter (1614), Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia, Venice. Pietà with Angels (1620) and Paolo Veronese (1600) come next.
64 years old: The Crucifixion of St Peter dates from 1614, and Palma il Giovane was born in 1550.
The Crucifixion of St Peter, Pietà with Angels, Paolo Veronese, The Conversion of Saint Paul, The Crucifixion, Venus and Mars, The prophet Nathan admonishes King David, Portrait of a Sculptor, Lamentation with angels and Judith Placing the Head of Holofernes onto a Cloth Held by Another Female Figure, the Foreshortened Body of Holofernes Gushes with Blood from the Neck. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 161 works by Palma il Giovane, dated from 1569 to 1628.
Mostly in Bavarian State Painting Collections (Munich), Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna) and Museo del Prado (Madrid). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1590s: 27 of the 100 works on this page were made then, The Conversion of Saint Paul among them.
On this page, the earliest is Fighting soldiers (1569) and the latest Judith Placing the Head of Holofernes onto a Cloth Held by Another Female Figure, the Foreshortened Body of Holofernes Gushes with Blood from the Neck (1628).
Man (38), People (24) and Woman (23), across the 100 works on this page.
Oil, for 43 of the 100 works on this page.
Baroque and Renaissance, judging by the originals on this page.
Moses Brings the Tablets of the Law, Adoration of the Shepherds and Flagellation of Christ: the Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich holds 13 of the works on this page.
In the golden twilight of the Venetian Renaissance, a period defined by unparalleled mastery of color and light, there emerged a painter whose brush bridged the gap between the High Renaissance and the burgeoning drama of the Baroque. Jacopo Palma il Giovane, born Iacopo Negretti around 1548, was not merely a successor to the great masters but a vital link in the continuity of the Venetian School. As the great-nephew of the celebrated Palma Vecchio, he was born into a lineage of artistic excellence, inheriting a profound understanding of the chromatic richness that defines the Venetian tradition. His life and work represent a seamless transition, carrying the luminous elegance of his predecessors into a new era of emotional intensity and theatrical grandeur.
The foundations of Palma’s artistry were laid in the workshops of Venice, where the air was thick with the legacies of Titian and Tintoretto. While historical accounts suggest he may have polished his technique through the study of Titian’s breathtaking color palettes, it was the dynamic energy of Tintoretto that truly shaped his mature vision. Following the death of Tintoretto in 1594, Palma il Giovane ascended to a position of preeminence, becoming the dominant artistic force in Venice. He possessed a rare ability to synthesize these two disparate influences: from Titian, he drew a sophisticated command of light and skin tones; from Tintoretto, he adopted a sense of movement, dramatic chiaroscuro, and narrative urgency that resonated deeply with the religious fervor of the Counter-Reformation.
Palma il Giovane’s oeuvre is a testament to his ability to transform biblical and mythological themes into visceral human experiences. His paintings are rarely static; they pulse with a life force that draws the viewer into the heart of the drama. Whether depicting the solemnity of a religious martyrdom or the lively chaos of a tavern scene, his work utilizes light as a narrative tool, guiding the eye through complex compositions to find the emotional core of the story. His mastery is particularly evident in works such as Martyrdom of St Catherine of Alexandria, where the interplay of shadow and brilliance heightens the sense of divine struggle, and Apostles at the Virgin's Tomb, which captures a profound moment of collective grief through sweeping, energetic brushwork.
Beyond his religious commissions, Palma’s versatility allowed him to explore a wide spectrum of subject matter. His talent for capturing the human spirit is perhaps most intimately seen in his Self-Portrait, a work that reveals a soulful introspection and a technical prowess capable of rendering the subtle nuances of expression. Even in more secular or anecdotal scenes, such as the Amusements of the Prodigal Son, he maintains a vibrant, rhythmic quality that celebrates the textures and colors of Venetian life. This ability to oscillate between the profound and the playful ensured his relevance across various patronage circles, from the ecclesiastical authorities of Venice to the imperial courts of Central Europe.
The historical importance of Jacopo Palma il Giovane extends far beyond the borders of the Venetian Republic. His influence radiated outward, reaching as far as Bergamo and the court of Emperor Rudolf II in Prague, marking him as an artist of international stature. He did not merely replicate the past; he evolved it, preparing the ground for the more emotive and dramatic styles that would define the 17th century. By mentoring subsequent generations, including figures who would further refine the Venetian aesthetic, he ensured that the traditions of his lineage remained vibrant and transformative.
Today, we recognize Palma il Giovane as a pivotal figure whose work serves as a bridge between eras. His legacy is found in:
Through his expressive brush and masterful use of light, Palma il Giovane captured the very essence of a changing world, leaving behind a body of work that continues to enchant and move the modern observer.
