The Triumph of Amphitrite 1745 - 1750

Giovanni Battista Crosato created this pen and brown ink drawing entitled, The Triumph of Amphitrite, sometime in the 18th century. The scene depicts the goddess Amphitrite surrounded by sea creatures and attendants in a composition that is designed for a fan. The drawing embodies the opulence of the Rococo period. Born in Venice, Crosato was known for his frescoes and paintings that decorated the villas of the Venetian aristocracy. He later moved to Turin to work for the Savoy court. This drawing would have appealed to wealthy patrons who favored classical themes. It’s allegorical style and graceful figures were intended to project an image of wealth, refinement, and power. Drawings like this offer art historians insight into the commercial and social contexts in which art was made. By studying artists’ account books, letters, and other archival documents, we can better understand the relationship between artistic production and social life.