Illustration for a Book: Cardinal with Troops Facing a Fortification on a Hilltop 1696 - 1770

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo created this illustration for a book with pen and brown ink. The composition strikes one as a series of diagonal lines across the small rectangle. On the left, we see soldiers and a cardinal on horseback, their forms rendered with dynamic, almost frenetic lines that convey movement and tension. Consider how Tiepolo uses line to define not just form, but also space. The sketchiness suggests the impermanence of the scene, a fleeting moment captured with swift strokes. This technique destabilizes the traditional role of drawing as a precise preparatory tool, instead, it becomes an expressive medium in its own right. The fort on the hilltop in the background is lightly sketched, creating depth and a sense of distance. The contrast between the detailed foreground and the faded background pulls the viewer's eye through the illustration, engaging with the Cardinal's perspective of power. In this way, Tiepolo uses the formal qualities of the drawing to communicate complex ideas about perspective.