The Wise and Foolish VirginsTintoretto

This oil on canvas (c. 1555) depicts the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins: only the wise bring enough oil for their lamps as they await the bridegroom, while the others return too late, crying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and hearing, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. Tintoretto’s dynamic style appears in the dramatic lighting, oblique arrangement, and swift brushwork. Flemish influence from an assistant adds the nocturnal setting, detailed textures, and sharply illuminated figures.