Burckhardt helped Kugler with the revised editions of 1847 and 1855 of Murray's Handbook of Painting in Italy. The objections to Tintoretto's work found in earlier versions of Kugler's account of Tintoretto are extended and strengthened. Kugler and Burckhardt complain that 'attitudes and movements are taken immediately from common life, not chosen from the best models' (pages 460-3). 'The works even of his better time are generally slight in treatment; later they become unmeaning in invention, and coarse and mechanical in execution'.
Examples of his 'most corrupt style' are quoted. They include the Last Judgement in Santa Maria dell'Orto (of which Ruskin says at Works, 4.276: 'By Tintoret only has this unimaginable event been grappled with in its Verity') and a Last Supper at S. Trovaso.
Of the latter, Kugler and Burckhardt write: 'nothing more utterly derogatory both to the dignity of art and to the nature of the subject can be imagined than the treatment of the Last Supper'. For Burckhardt in 1855 it is 'degraded to an ordinary banquet' ( Burckhardt, Cicerone). Ruskin himself has problems with this picture. He describes its conception as 'vulgar' ( Works, 11.135), so he attacks Kugler, while not mentioning Burckhardt, for 'ignorantly' and 'ridiculously' thinking that this 'paltry cenacolo' is characteristic of Tintoretto.
For the apology in later editions of Murray's Handbook for the view expressed by Kugler and Burckhardt on Tintoretto - and Cook and Wedderburn's approval of the apology for, and censorship of, the expression of views not in accordance with those of Ruskin - see Works, 4.xlvi and the footnotes on Works, 11.360.