Winged Female Figure, River God, and a Nude Boy 1696 - 1770

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo made this dynamic pen and wash drawing of a Winged Female Figure, River God, and a Nude Boy. Tiepolo was one of the most celebrated Venetian painters of the eighteenth century, a master of luminous color and theatrical composition. His workshop produced frescoes and paintings for churches and aristocratic patrons all over Europe, including commissions for the Prince-Bishop’s Palace in Würzburg, Germany, and the Royal Palace of Madrid. But these great machines depended on careful preparatory drawings like this one. Here, Tiepolo demonstrates his mastery of classical allegory. Winged figures, river gods and putti populate his mythological world. Consider how these images were deployed to reinforce the prestige of noble families or rulers across Europe. To fully appreciate the achievement of Tiepolo, we need to research the European aristocratic and ecclesiastic institutions. The history of taste is also relevant, as is the social function of art in eighteenth-century Europe.