Armida Abandoned by Rinaldo

Armida Abandoned by Rinaldo is a major oil on canvas painting created by the prolific Italian master, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, between 1742 and 1745. This large-scale work illustrates a pivotal, high-drama moment from Torquato Tasso’s 16th-century epic poem, Gerusalemme liberata (Jerusalem Delivered). The composition captures the instant when the Christian knight Rinaldo abandons the beautiful sorceress Armida, whose enchanted island paradise he had been trapped on.

The painting focuses intensely on Armida’s reaction-a powerful depiction of despair, rejection, and mounting fury. She is shown collapsed in a state of emotional devastation, her rich drapery swirling dramatically around her as Rinaldo departs in the background, guided by his companions Carlo and Ubaldo.

This piece exemplifies the height of the late Baroque period (c. 1600–1750) in Italy, showcasing Tiepolo's ability to translate the grandiose scale of fresco painting onto a portable surface. Tiepolo was renowned for his light, vibrant palette and dynamic compositional sense, characteristics that defined 18th-century Venetian art. The skillful use of light and the fluid brushwork emphasize the emotional turmoil of the central figure, ensuring the viewer’s eye is immediately drawn to the tragic figure of Armida.

The canvas is a crucial example of Tiepolo’s mythological and literary subjects commissioned for aristocratic patrons. It marks a transition within the master's career, blending the monumentality of the Baroque tradition with the emerging graceful sensibility of the Rococo. As a significant artwork illustrating classical Italian narrative, Armida Abandoned by Rinaldo currently resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Due to its cultural importance, high-resolution images and prints of this work are often available through public domain initiatives for academic research and enjoyment.