Tree 

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo made this drawing, titled ‘Tree’, with pen and brown ink, over traces of graphite on paper. The artist has used the pen to swiftly capture human figures at the base of the tree. Look closely, and you’ll see Tiepolo alternates a finer and a broader nib, allowing him to modulate the tonal depth of the image with different densities of line. The brown ink has a warm, almost golden hue. It seems that it was applied in multiple washes for stronger contrasts, which we can particularly see in the robes and hair. Drawings like this, and the artistic labour that went into producing them, were highly sought after during Tiepolo’s time, as they were considered integral to the process of artistic invention. This sketch, in particular, offers insight into the early stages of the artist’s creative process, providing a glimpse into the evolution of his ideas. It’s a reminder that 'finished' artworks are only ever the tip of the iceberg.