Angelica Carving Medoro's Name on a Tree 1757

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo created this oil on canvas titled "Angelica Carving Medoro's Name on a Tree". Tiepolo was working in 18th century Venice, a city of carnivals and grand displays of wealth. Art then, wasn’t just about beauty; it was also a tool for showing off power and status. This scene, drawn from Ariosto’s epic poem "Orlando Furioso", is a world of knights, love, and adventure. Angelica, an Eastern princess, shown here carving her lover's name, Medoro, on a tree. But the story goes beyond mere romance. Angelica, a woman of color, defies social norms by choosing her own partner. Tiepolo, by highlighting this, might be subtly commenting on the rigid social structures of his time. To truly understand Tiepolo, you must look at the world around him. Old books, letters, and records of the time are all pieces of the puzzle, helping us see the social forces that shaped both the artist and his art. Only then can we grasp the full meaning of his art.