Frontispiece to Stations of the Cross c. 1748 - 1749

"Frontispiece to Stations of the Cross" is a 1748-1749 etching by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, an Italian artist from the Venetian school. The image depicts a rooster perched on a ladder leaning against a stone vase, which is inscribed with the words "Via Crucis" (the Way of the Cross). This artwork is a frontispiece for a series of etchings that depict the Stations of the Cross, a series of fourteen events in the Passion of Christ. The frontispiece, created by Tiepolo, sets the stage for the fourteen scenes that follow. Tiepolo's detailed etching showcases a dramatic composition with masterful use of light and shadow. It's a captivating glimpse into the 18th-century artistic sensibility and the depiction of religious themes.