A Standing Man Wearing a Great Coat and Boots

A Standing Man Wearing a Great Coat and Boots by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo is a powerful example of Italian draftsmanship, utilizing pen and black ink with a gray wash applied over tan laid paper. Classified strictly as a drawing, this work demonstrates the artist’s characteristic technical facility in defining large forms through swift, energetic contours and subtle atmospheric shading. The gray wash provides modulated tone, creating a soft chiaroscuro that emphasizes the bulk and texture of the subject's voluminous great coat and the solid stance established by the heavy boots.

The figure stands centrally, filling the composition with his imposing scale. Tiepolo often created quick studies such as this one, either as preparatory sketches for figures intended to populate his vast ceiling frescoes or as independent capricci studies in costume and gesture. The technique employed here reveals the artist’s efficiency in capturing volume and movement with minimal strokes, a crucial skill for a painter whose output required tremendous speed and visualization.

Though Tiepolo’s most prolific period occurred slightly later, the visual language of the piece is firmly rooted in the robust Italian traditions of the late Baroque, spanning the general period of 1651 to 1700. Tiepolo’s ability to imbue a simple study with dynamism highlights why he remains one of the most revered draftsmen of the Venetian School.

As a valued component of the National Gallery of Art’s collection, this drawing offers important insight into the methodology of one of the 18th century’s great masters. Recognizing its historical significance, the work is often reproduced digitally, making high-quality images and prints available for study and reference among public domain resources globally.