Woman with a Mandolin c. 1755 - 1760

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo painted this oil on canvas, "Woman with a Mandolin", sometime in the 18th century. It’s fair to say that Tiepolo was a product of Venice, and "Woman with a Mandolin" shows his artistic origins. The image presents a woman, partially unclothed, playing a mandolin and gazing at the viewer. Consider Venice at this time: it was as a major center for music. The city boasted numerous theaters and opera houses, and music was an integral part of Venetian social life. The woman’s dress and mandolin suggest that the image is one of leisurely, upper-class entertainment. At the same time, the slightly sexualized portrayal of the woman suggests that the painting could be viewed as an object of male consumption. As historians, we can better understand this painting by exploring the history of Venetian music culture, the traditions of Italian portraiture, and the prevailing attitudes toward women in 18th-century Europe.