Bassa'no

Bassa'no (or, more properly, GIACOMO DA PONTE), an artist of eminence, was born at Bassano in 1510, and studied for some time at Venice. He may be said to have founded a school, whose peculiarity was the delineation of common things, markets, fairs, cattle, and country scenes; but his famous altar-piece of the 'Nativity,' at Bassano, shows his power of handling sublimer subjects. The special merits of his style are its vigorous and picturesque colouring, and its accurate imitation of nature. He died in 1592, leaving four sons, who all followed their father's profession, but were not marked by any special originality of manner.