Venus and Cupid Discovering the Body of Adonis

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, c. 1740

The image is a sepia-toned sketch showing three figures. The central figure is reclining on a large, flowing form, positioned semi-upright with a gentle tilt. This figure has indistinct facial features, long, wavy hair, and wears a loose, flowing garment. Below the central figure, a smaller figure with a similarly obscured face looks upwards, partially wrapped in the same flowing material. The third figure lies horizontally at the bottom of the composition, with a relaxed posture. The background is mostly blank.
Artist
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Date
c. 1740
Type
Drawing
Medium
pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk on laid paper
Dimensions
40.8 × 28.5 cm
Collection
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Licence
Public domain, CC0

Image description

The image is a sepia-toned sketch showing three figures. The central figure is reclining on a large, flowing form, positioned semi-upright with a gentle tilt. This figure has indistinct facial features, long, wavy hair, and wears a loose, flowing garment. Below the central figure, a smaller figure with a similarly obscured face looks upwards, partially wrapped in the same flowing material. The third figure lies horizontally at the bottom of the composition, with a relaxed posture. The background is mostly blank.

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo