(b Venice, 20 June 1687; d Venice, 17 Nov. 1767). Venetian painter of religious, historical, and mythological pictures. He had a highly successful career and ranks as one of the best contemporaries of Tiepolo, whom he succeeded as president of the Venetian Academy in 1758. As far as is known, Pittoni never left Italy, but he nevertheless received important foreign commissions from the Swedish, Austrian, and German courts. He also painted altarpieces for churches in numerous Italian towns and he had a reputation for being diligent and dependable. His early work was much indebted to Piazzetta and Sebastiano Ricci, but his style later became lighter and more colourful under the influence of Tiepolo.