Who painted Christ calling Zacchaeus?

Christ calling Zacchaeus was painted by Palma il Giovane in 1575.

Where can I see Christ calling Zacchaeus?

Christ calling Zacchaeus is held by Fitzwilliam Museum.

What movement is Christ calling Zacchaeus?

Christ calling Zacchaeus is associated with Mannerism.

Artwork

Christ calling Zacchaeus

Palma il Giovane , 1575

Christ calling Zacchaeus is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Palma il Giovane. It dates from 1575 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1575, this oil painting by Iacopo Negretti—better known as Palma il Giovane—captures the moment when Jesus calls the tax collector Zacchaeus down from a sycamore tree. The composition centers on a red‑robed figure gesturing upward toward a man perched in the branches, while a small crowd watches the exchange beneath a bright sky.

Subject & Meaning

The work illustrates the Gospel episode in which Jesus invites Zacchaeus, a despised publican, to join him, symbolizing redemption and the overturning of social prejudice. The attentive onlookers convey the curiosity and tension of the surrounding community, emphasizing the transformative power of the encounter.

Technique & Style

Executed in the late‑sixteenth‑century Venetian Mannerist manner, the painting employs a luminous palette of reds, yellows, and blues. Palma il Giovane uses chiaroscuro to model the figures, creating depth through contrast between illuminated drapery and shadowed foliage, while the elongated poses reflect the era’s stylized elegance.

History & Provenance

After its completion, the canvas entered the Venetian artistic market and eventually became part of the Fitzwilliam Museum’s collection in Cambridge. The museum acquired it as a representative example of Palma il Giovane’s mature output, reflecting his role as a leading painter in Venice following Tintoretto’s death.

Context

Palma il Giovane rose to prominence in the Venetian school during a period of transition, inheriting the legacy of masters such as Tintoretto and Veronese. This painting demonstrates his adaptation of their dramatic narrative techniques while integrating the softer color harmonies characteristic of late Renaissance Venice.

Artist & collection

Artist

Palma il Giovane

Iacopo Negretti (1548/50 – 14 October 1628), best known as Jacopo or Giacomo Palma il Giovane or simply Palma Giovane ('Young Palma'), was an Italian painter from Venice and a notable exponent of the Venetian school.