(Venice 1726-1804) The Adoration of the Magi, pen and brown ink, on laid paper, 19,8 x 28,5 cm, mounted, framed, (Sch)

This drawing, which is quite expressive and has been hitherto unpublished, is a typical example of Domenico Tiepolo’s early drawing style. Domenico was strongly influenced by his father Giovanni Battista Tiepolo in composition and figurative style. However, Domenico developed his father‘s style further in a more expressive manner, applying a stronger and sometimes even „scratching“ penstroke to his figures who he also gave a more compressed spatiality to.
The present drawing is related stylistically to a large group of pen drawings which are preserved in various public and private collections and which show mainly religious motifs from the Old Testament and from the Life of Saint Antonius. These drawings can be dated between 1750 and 1760 and thus to a time when Domenico was still working in the studio of Giambattista although he had already emancipated from his father and had already established some fame as an independant painter and draftsman. The present drawing „The Adoration of the Magi“ goes back to a well proved composition of his father, who had used it for a dramatic staging in his painting „The Sacrifice of Iphigenie“ (Venice, Collection Giustinian Recenati; Merlengo, Palazzo Cornaro).

Comparable Literature: George Knox, Panorama of Tiepolo Drawing, 2008, cat. 83, p. 176; Adelheid M. Gealt/ George Knox (Eds.), Giandomenico Tiepolo: maestria e gioco - disegni dal mondo, exh.cat. Udine, Castello di Udine, September 14 - 31. December 31, 1996, Nos. 71, 73, 74, 78, 79.

We are grateful to Prof. Dr. Bernard Aikema for the scientific support in cataloguing of the present drawing.