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Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

1696-1770 Italy/Rococo

 

Brief Biography-Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, the son of a marine merchant, was born in Venice in 1696. He received his first tuition from Gregorio Lazzarini when he was fourteen. His main influences of that period were Giovanni Piazzetta and Sebastiano Ricci. He was later to embellish his works with Veronese, Titian and Tintoretto atyles. He also took inspiration from Northern Masters such as Dürer and Rubens.
In 1717, the Fraglia, or Painters Guild, admitted him. Two years later, he married the sister of Francesco Guardi, and they were to have nine children. Two of his sons, Lorenzo, and Domenico, became painters and assisted Tiepolo with many works. His major fresco work began in 1725 when the archbishop of Udine commissioned paintings for his palace, culminating in much work throughout Italy. In the Palazzo Labia, he completed the Anthony and Cleopatra series in 1740.
In 1750, Prince-Bishop Karl Phillip von Greiffenklau summoned him to decorate the throne room of his palace at Würzburg, which also resulted in him painting the grand staircase. His two sons assisted him with the painting, and the works at the court, which took three years to complete, became his most triumphant project.
When Tiepolo returned to Venice, the Venetian Academy elected him as President. The King of Spain, Charles III, commissioned him to decorate the Royal Palace in Madrid which he hesitantly accepted. In 1762, Tiepolo went with Lorenzo and Dominico and spent four years painting ceilings; amongst them was the large throne room ceiling. He encountered jealous rivalry from Anton Raphael Mengs, a Court Painter to the King and an exponent of neoclassicism. To Tiepolo’s consternation, Mengs arranged to remove seven altarpiece paintings from Aranjuez, which the King had commissioned from him. Tiepolo died in Madrid in 1770. His son Domenico was more prominent than Lorenzo and achieved notable success doing frescoes.

 

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Neptune

Neptune Offering Gifts to Venice

Seated Man

Seated Man and Girl with Pitcher

Europe

Europe

Saint James

Saint James the Greater Conquering the Moors

A Woman

A Woman

America

America

Abraham Praying

Abraham Praying before the Three Angels

Judgement-

Judgement of Soloman

Banquet of Cleopatra

Banquet of Cleopatra

The Planets-

Allegory of the Planets and Continents

Jacob's Dream

Jacob's Dream

Annunciation

Annunciation

Apollo and Daphne

Apollo and Daphne

Apollo and Marsyas

Apollo and Marsyas

Apotheosis of Spain

Apotheosis of Spain

Carrying the Cross

Christ Carrying the Cross

Death of Hyacinth

Death of Hyacinth

Education-

Education of the Virgin

Meeting of Rebecca

Meeting of Rebecca and Eleazar

Horse Hunter

Horse Hunter

Patrick

Patrick


Queen Zenobia-

Queen Zenobia before Emperor Aurelianus

Phaethon and Apollo

Phaethon and Apollo

Rachel Hiding-

Rachel Hiding the Idols from her Father Laban

Rinaldo and Armida

Rinaldo and Armida

Portrait of Daniele-

Portrait of Daniele Four Dolfin

Temptations-

Temptations of Saint Anthony

The Angel Succouring

The Angel Succouring Hagar

The Martyrdom

The Martyrdom of Saint Agatha

Rape of Europa

The Rape of Europa

The Martyrdom

The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew

The Sacrifice

The Sacrifice of Isaac

Virgin Appearing

The Virgin Appearing to Saint Philip Neri

immaculate-

allegory of immaculate conception

a Parrot

Woman with a Parrot

triumph of virtue

triumph of virtue