Cupid Blindfolded, Carried Through the Sky by Seven Winged Putti 1767 - 1793

This drawing by Italian artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, son of the renowned Giambattista Tiepolo, depicts the Roman god of love, Cupid, being carried through the sky by seven winged putti. The drawing was likely made as a preparatory study for a larger work and exemplifies Tiepolo's signature use of dynamic, swirling lines to capture the movement of the figures. The light, sketchy quality of the work is typical of Tiepolo's drawings, which often served as a means of exploring compositional ideas and exploring the play of light and shadow. The drawing is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.