Jacopo Negretti, called Palma the Elder to distinguish him from his great-nephew Palma the Younger, was born around 1480 in the Bergamo region. His training remains unknown. He was documented in Venice in 1510 and apparently continued his entire career there until his death in 1528. His style dialogues with Giorgione and Titian without merging with them. Palma developed two particularly popular formats. The horizontal sacra conversazione brings together the Virgin, Child and several saints in an open landscape; the figures do not play a dramatic action, but share a calm presence, linked by color and light. The figures do not play a dramatic action, but share a calm presence, linked by color and light. The figures do not play a dramatic action, but share a calm presence, linked by color and light. The figures do not play a dramatic action, but share a calm presence, linked by color and light. The figures do not play a dramatic action, but share a calm presence, linked by color and light. The figures do not play a dramatic action, but share a calm presence, linked by color and light. The figures do not play a dramatic action, but share a calm presence, linked by color and light. The partially revealed. Long described as portraits of courtesans or ideal beauties, these images can combine portrait, love poetry and allegory. A blonde looks sideways, discovers a shoulder or holds flowers; velvet, silk, skin and hair become the real actors in the painting. Palma also produced male portraits and altarpieces, notably for Venice and the territories of Bergamo. His workshop was successful, and several attributions remained discussed due to the proximity to the great Venetian colorists. His workshop was successful, and several attributions remained discussed due to the proximity to the great Venetian colorists. His workshop was successful, and several attributions remained discussed due to the proximity to the great Venetian colorists. However, the artist's brief career was enough to establish a type of beauty and sacred conversation that was lastingly influential. There selection "Palma the Old" offers its own route on this subject. Its reading favors light.
Palma the Old builds harmony less through rigid design than through the circulation of a warm color between skin, fabric, landscape and sky.