Two Magicians and a Child, from the Scherzi 1725 - 1780

This etching, Two Magicians and a Child, comes from the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's series of prints known as the Scherzi, which translates to "jokes" or "fancies." Tiepolo, working in the 18th century, presents us with a scene steeped in the visual language of the occult, a popular subject during the Enlightenment. The "magicians" attend to some obscure task over an animal skull while a child looks on, watched by a dog. The series eschews the traditional narratives for which he was known, yet it's filled with archetypes and symbols. Tiepolo was known for his frescoes and grand history paintings, but in the Scherzi, he delves into something more ambiguous. The figures are not clearly defined, and the narrative is not explicit, inviting us to question the nature of knowledge and power. The contrast between youth and age, innocence and experience, creates a palpable tension in the print. What are we to make of these esoteric rituals and their place in society? The Scherzi allows us to explore the mysteries of human existence.