A Group of Punchinelli Seated

A Group of Punchinelli Seated by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, executed between 1757 and 1763, is a dynamic and peculiar example of the artist’s prolific late-career drawings. Created using pen and brown ink and brown wash, over an initial sketch in black chalk, this detailed work exemplifies Tiepolo's masterful handling of light and shadow, characteristic of 18th-century Venetian draftsmanship. The classification of the work as a drawing emphasizes the immediate, expressive quality of the line and the rapid articulation of the figures.

The subject matter focuses entirely on Punchinelli, a stock figure originating in the Italian Commedia dell'arte. These costumed men, recognizable by their distinctive white costumes and long, beak-like masks, appear repeatedly in the Tiepolo family’s later output, particularly in a series often referred to as the Diverimento per li ragazzi (Entertainment for Boys). In this piece, the men are shown seated, perhaps waiting or resting, rendered with fluid, expressive strokes that convey their peculiar, unsettling energy. Tiepolo transformed the traditionally comic character into a vehicle for social satire or whimsical fantasy, giving the composition a surreal edge.

This exceptional drawing resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, offering insight into the evolving interests of the artist prior to his death in 1770. As a highly referenced work from this period, it is now part of the public domain, allowing high-quality prints and reproductions of the powerful composition to be studied globally. The continuing popularity of A Group of Punchinelli Seated secures its status as a significant record of the Venetian master's genius in the medium of ink and wash.