Armida Encounters the Sleeping Rinaldo

Armida Encounters the Sleeping Rinaldo is a dynamic oil on canvas painting created by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (Italian, 1696–1770) between 1742 and 1745. This work illustrates a pivotal scene from Torquato Tasso’s epic poem, Gerusalemme Liberata (Jerusalem Delivered), published in the late 16th century. The subject captures the powerful sorceress Armida, who seeks revenge against the Christian crusader knight Rinaldo. She finds him asleep, intending to murder him, but is immediately overcome by love upon encountering his tranquil form.

Tiepolo, recognized as the preeminent history painter of 18th-century Venice, showcases his mastery of the late Baroque style in this monumental composition. The painting is characterized by its exceptionally luminous palette, the use of rapid, confident brushwork, and a highly theatrical arrangement of figures. Armida is dramatically poised over the sleeping hero, her richly colored robes contrasting with the idealized, pale form of Rinaldo. The scene is enveloped in a supernatural atmosphere, emphasizing the emotional intensity of the moment and aligning with the grand narrative tradition popular in Italy during the period. The masterful use of light and foreshortening contributes to the dramatic tension, moving the canvas towards the vibrant sensibility of the emergent Rococo movement.

Created during the artist's mature period, this work is indicative of the sophisticated tastes of European aristocratic patrons who valued large-scale mythological and historical narratives. Tiepolo’s treatment of the Tasso subject cemented his reputation across Europe. The painting, measuring over six feet in height, offers profound insight into 18th-century cultural production. Today, Armida Encounters the Sleeping Rinaldo is a critical piece within the Art Institute of Chicago’s permanent collection of European painting. As a historically significant masterwork from the Baroque (c. 1600–1750) period, the image is widely referenced, and high-quality prints and studies of the painting are sometimes available within public domain resources for scholarly research and appreciation.