"In Piazza" 1788 - 1794

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo created "In Piazza" using pen and brown wash over graphite on cream laid paper. Painted during the 18th century, the artwork offers us a glimpse into the theater of Venetian society, where identity was as much performed as it was lived. Imagine the artist, situated in a city celebrated for its carnivals and masked balls, probing the line between public display and private experience. The figures, rendered in delicate brown washes, seem caught in moments of negotiation – their gestures hinting at the complex social dance of courtship, commerce, and class distinction. In the arrangement of the characters we can see gendered expectations in the clothing, where women are subjects of the gaze as they stand in flowing gowns. This carefully staged scene invites us to consider the ways in which individuals navigated the expectations of their social roles. Tiepolo’s Venice wasn’t just a place; it was an elaborate stage, and this drawing encapsulates its delicate, and at times, precarious choreography.